Luska Joseph Twyman (May 19, 1913 – January 28, 1988) was a Kentucky politician and educator. Twyman became Kentucky's first African American mayor in 1968 when he became mayor of Glasgow, Kentucky, the county seat for Barren County.[1][2][3] He also was World War II veteran.
Luska Joseph Twyman | |
|---|---|
| Born | May 19, 1913 Hiseville, Kentucky, U.S. |
| Died | January 28, 1988 Glasgow, Kentucky, U.S. |
| Burial place | Bearwallow Baptist Cemetery, Horse Cave, Hart County, Kentucky, U.S. |
| Other names | Luska J. Twyman |
| Alma mater | Kentucky State College Indiana University Simmons College of Kentucky |
| Occupation(s) | Politician, educator |
Biography
editLuska Joseph Twyman was born on May 19, 1913, in Hiseville, Kentucky.[4] Twyman attended public schools in Barren County and he graduated from the Mayo–Underwood School in Frankfort, Kentucky.[4][5] He was an alumnus of Kentucky State University (1938; then known as Kentucky State College),[1][6] and a 1936 initiate of Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity, Alpha Upsilon chapter. Twyman also received a MS degree from Indiana University;[1] and a LLD degree from Simmons University (later known as Simmons College of Kentucky).[1] He was also a World War II veteran.[4]
Twyman was an appointee of the United States Commission on Civil Rights.[7] During his tenure as mayor, Twyman was also the principal of Ralph Bunche School (named after Ralph Bunche) in Glasgow, which originally was the city's school for African-Americans before integration.[4] After integration in 1964,[4] the school became the sixth-grade school for the entire Glasgow Independent Schools.
He died on January 28, 1988, in Glasgow.[1] The Luska J. Twyman Memorial Park in Glasgow, Kentucky is named for him. Additionally historical marker #2019 in Glasgow was in his honor.
References
edit- ^ a b c d e Smith, Gerald L.; McDaniel, Karen Cotton; Hardin, John A. (2015-08-28). The Kentucky African American Encyclopedia. University Press of Kentucky. p. 502. ISBN 978-0-8131-6066-5.
- ^ "A Negro is Mayor of Kentucky City". The New York Times. 1968-09-24. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2023-02-06.
- ^ Story, Justin (August 28, 2013). "Glover: Twyman played important role in Glasgow's black community". Bowling Green Daily News. Retrieved 2023-02-06.
- ^ a b c d e Terry, Sam (October 15, 2019). "Luska Twyman: Kentucky's first black mayor". The Sentinel-Echo. Retrieved 2023-02-06.
- ^ "Throwback Thursday - Kentucky's first African American mayor: Luska Twyman". WNKY News 40 Television. 2021-02-25. Retrieved 2023-02-06.
- ^ "Notable Alumni". Kentucky State University. Retrieved 2023-02-06.
- ^ Notable Kentucky African Americans Database University of Kentucky library