COMMUNITY
KENTUCKY BLACK BOURBON GUILD: HISTORY IN EVERY SIP
WRITTEN BY DR. ERIN GILLIAM, ON BEHALF OF KENTUCKY BLACK BOURBON GUILD | COURTESY PHOTOS
L earning about Black History is important, necessary, and relevant. African American history is intricately and beautifully interwoven into every fabric and facet of the United States of America. African Americans have endured the atrocities of slavery, second-class citizenship, and systemic racism. Yet, African Americans have endured. It is important to understand that the African American narrative is not one of only struggle but one of perseverance and richness. African American minds and hands have influenced everything in this country as well as in the Commonwealth of Kentucky. Science, Math, Agriculture, Entertainment, Education and anything else that comes to mind. We are the inventors and
influencers and even if poorly documented or reduced to a line in history: the ingenuity of Blacks in bourbon are undeniable. A patient research quest that probably consists of archives and oral histories will lead you to the discovery of African American contributions to the Bourbon Industry. Africans Americans were and continue to be invested in the Billion-dollar Bourbon industry. It is imperative to understand that our contemporary investment and historical presence is not only in sweat equity. But we are the historical descendants of Nathan “Nearest” Green who taught Jack Daniels the beautiful craft of distilling Bourbon. We are the up and coming Black -owned Bourbon companies of Fresh Bourbon of Lexington and Brough Brothers of Louisville.
Being Black and a Kentuckian comes with its celebration of historical and contemporary contributions to the Bourbon Industry. Organizations like the Kentucky Black Bourbon Guild were founded on the principle of celebrating and educating those about the African American contribution to the Bourbon Industry while embracing its future development through inclusivity, education, and community building. The KBBG was established by a local Lexingtonian Entrepreneur, Mr. Robert Beatty. His fire was lit during the summer of 2018 after taking several tours of distilleries throughout the Commonwealth. He felt a historical obligation to educate and embrace the African American and multicultural influence to the industry pre- prohibition. Since its inception
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