By Kody Kiser 

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Feb. 22, 2024) — Crystal Wilkinson is a professor of English in the University of Kentucky College of Arts and Sciences and one of 16 University Research Professors for 2023-24. As the first Black woman to hold the appointment of Poet Laureate of Kentucky from 2021-2023, Wilkinson serves as an inspiration to many in the writing community, and has authored several award-winning books.

Wilkinson’s research and work primarily focuses on the stories of Black women and communities in the Appalachian and rural Southern canon. Her most recent work, "Praisesong for the Kitchen Ghosts," is her first foray into nonfiction, delving into the lives and foodways of her own family.

On this episode of "Behind the Blue," Wilkinson talks about the new book and how the inspiration to research and write about her family has been an inspiration to many others who wish to connect to their own ancestry and culture.

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Transcripts for this or other episodes of Behind the Blue can be downloaded from the show’s blog page.

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