Keeneland Library’s The Heart of the Turf: Racing’s Black Pioneers

On display in the von Stade Gallery from July 10 to September 28, 2025

The Heart of the Turf: Racing’s Black Pioneers traveling exhibit, developed and shared by the Keeneland Library, highlighted the lives and careers of 100 African American horsemen and women from the mid-1800s to the present. One-of-a-kind photographs from Keeneland Library collections capture moments across their varied careers, while biographical vignettes honor their lasting legacies. From racetrack superstars to vital behind-the-scenes caretakers of horses, The Heart of the Turf: Racing’s Black Pioneers showcased select stories of the countless African Americans who forged their way across the country from the era of slavery to the present, making the Thoroughbred racing and breeding industry what it is today.     

This exhibit was enhanced by generous loans from the private collection of Ken Grayson and items from the Museum collections, including the recently conserved paintings Brooklyn Handicap, 1887 and Horse with Jockey by Henry Stull (American, 1851–1913). The conservation of Brooklyn Handicap was supported through the NYSCA/GHHN Conservation Treatment Grant Program administered by Greater Hudson Heritage Network. This program is made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.

Interested in learning more? Click here to watch interviews produced by Ed Brown Society Associate Timothy Campbell during his 2023 appointment with Keeneland Library.