LOUISVILLE, Kentucky (January 11th, 2019) — The Muhammad Ali Center is proud to announce that Elmer Lucille Allen will present at the Center’s Daughters of Greatness program on Friday, January 18th at 8:30 a.m.
Throughout the year, the Daughters of Greatness breakfast series features prominent women engaged in social philanthropy, activism, and pursuits of justice to share their stories with the Louisville community. The Daughters of Greatness series provides a place for dialogue and discussion on current issues of justice, community engagement, and social movements within the Louisville area and beyond.
Elmer Lucille Allen has been known for her volunteer service to the artistic community since the early 80s. A native of Louisville,Kentucky, who graduated from Central High School (1949), Nazareth College, now Spalding University (Bachelor of Science, 1953) and University of Louisville(Masters of Studio Arts, 2002). In the 1980s, she was the president of the Kentucky Coalition for AFRO-American Arts, Inc. This organization received a grant from the Kentucky Arts Council to document African American artists in the Commonwealth of Kentucky. And in 1986, she was awarded the Governor’s Community Arts Awards for contributions to the Commonwealth of Kentucky. Nancy Gall Clayton wrote a play about her. 2018 was a phenomenal year for her. She received five awards for her contribution to the arts and to the community as a whole.She was the curator/director of Wayside Christian Mission’s Wayside Expression Gallery for twelve years (2005-2017). In 2015 she received the Kentucky Museum of Arts and Crafts Art and Advocacy Award. Was the recipient of the 2011 Spalding University’s Caritas Medal – Highest Alumnus Award. Currently, she is serving on the Metro Louisville Commission on Public Art (COPA), Frazier Museum – Women’s Suffrage committee, and several committees for the Louisville Central Community Center. She is a member of several organizations – Louisville Area Fiber and Textile Artists, Louisville Clay, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority,West Louisville Women’s Collaborative, etc.