♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ >> HELLO AND WELCOME TO "INSIDE LOUISVILLE" WHERE WE INTRODUCE YOU TO THE PEOPLE, PLACES AND THINGS THAT MAKE UP KENTUCKY'S LARGEST CITY.

THIS WEEK MEET Dr. ELMER LUCILLE ALLEN.

MANY PEOPLE IN LOUISVILLE WILL DESCRIBE 93-YEAR-OLD ELMER ALLEN AS A LOCAL ICON OR PIONEER, THE FIRST AFRICAN-AMERICAN TO BE HIRED AS A CHEMIST AT LOUISVILLE'S BROWN FOREMAN CORPORATION, ONE OF THE LARGEST SPIRITS AND WINE COMPANIES IN THE WORLD.

THAT WAS IN 1966.

BUT AFTER SHE RETIRED FROM THE COMPANY IN 1997, SHE HAS EMERGED AS AN ICON IN THE ART COMMUNITY USING HER LOVE OF CHEMISTRY AND MATH TO BECOME A RENOWNED FIBER AND CERAMICS ARTIST.

THERE WAS A THRIEFERS SEGMENT ON KENTUCKY EDITION HIGHLIGHTING KENTUCKIANS WHO ARE THRIVING IN THEIR NEXT CHAPTER OF LIFE.

>> WELL I'M NAMED FROM MY FATHER, AND THEN IN MY HOUSEHOLD, IT WAS ELMER, ELMER LUCILLE AND ELMER JOHNSON, JR.

THERE WERE THREE ELMERS.

SOME CALL ME ELMER LUCILLE AND SOME CALL ME EL ELMER.

SOME CALL ME LUCILLE.

I JUST CONSIDER MYSELF AS ELMER LUCILLE SCH SHE MAY SHARE A NAME WITH TWO OTHER PEOPLE BUT THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT 93-YEAR-OLD ELMER LUCILLE ALLEN IS ONE OF A KIND.

>> I SAY I'M HERE.

TAKE ME AS I AM AND I HAVEN'T CHANGED.

>> SHE MAY NOT HAVE CHANGED BUT ALLEN, WHO GREW UP DURING SEGREGATION DID BRING CHANGE TO ONE OF KENTUCKY'S KEY INDUSTRIES.

AFTER THE LOUISVILLE NATIVE GRADUATED FROM COLLEGE IN 1953 WITH A DEGREE IN CHEMISTRY AND MATH, SHE WENT TO WORK FOR BROWN FOREMAN BEVERAGE COMPANY.

>> I WAS THE FIRST AFRICAN-AMERICAN CHEMIST THERE AT BROWN FOREMAN IN 1966.

I STAYED THERE 30 YEARS.

>> IT WAS A HEALTH ISSUE THAT WOULD EVENTUALLY LEAD THIS TRAIL BLAZER TO HER SECOND CAREER AS A CELEBRATED CERAMICS AND FIBER ARTIST.

>> PEOPLE SAY WELL HOW DID YOU GET SO INVOLVED IN CERAMICS?

WELL, I GOT INVOLVED WITH CERAMICS BECAUSE I WAS HAVING PROBLEMS WITH MY ARMS AND HAND.

AND I WAS TOLD TO TAKE A CERAMIC CLASS.

AND I MADE TWO PIECES AND WOULD YOU BELIEVE I STILL HAVE THOSE PIECES AND THEY WERE MADE IN 1977.

AND I'M STILL A HAND BUILDER.

>> A LIFE LONG LEARNER.

>> YOU SHOULD NEVER STOP LEARNING.

>> ALLEN ENROLLED IN ART CLASSES AT THE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISVILLE.

>> THAT WAS 1981 WHEN I FIRST TOOK MY FIRST CLASS HERE.

>> IN 2002, SHE RECEIVED HER MASTERS OF CREATIVE ARTS FROM U OF L. >> AND I AM STILL TAKING CLASSES.

>> SINCE GETTING HER MASTERS, ALLEN HAS GONE ON TO ESTABLISH HERSELF AS ONE OF THE MOST INFLUENTIAL ARTISTS IN LOUISVILLE.

>> YOU GOT TO HAVE DESIRE TO BE WHO YOU WANT TO BE.

>> WHILE GOING FROM CHEMIST TO ARTIST MAY SEEM LIKE A BIG LEAP, ALLEN INSISTS IT WASN'T.

SHE SAYS DEVELOPING BOURBON AND CREATING ART BOTH DRAW ON ELEMENTS SHE IS FAMILIAR WITH: MATH AND CHEMISTRY.

>> IT IS CHEMISTRY.

EVERYTHING YOU HAVE IS CHEMISTRY.

YOU SEE ALL THESE SCULPTURES, EVERY BUILDING IS BUILT ON CHEMISTRY.

IT STARTS WITH A DOT, GEOMETRY AND CHEMISTRY, THEY GO TOGETHER.

SO I'M GOING TO ROLL THIS OUT AND YOU WILL ACTUALLY SEE IT.

>> ALLEN HAS CREATED THOUSANDS OF CERAMICS AND FIBER ART PIECES WITH HER WORK SHOWCASE IN NUMEROUS EXBYES EXHIBITIONS IN GALLERIES AROUND THE COUNTRY.

>> I LIKE CERAMIC BECAUSE I CAN BE WITH PEOPLE.

WHEN I'M DOING FIBER, I'M BY MYSELF.

IT'S A LOT OF FOLDING AND STITCHING AND IT MIGHT TAKE MONTHS TO CREATE ONE PIECE.

BUT IT'S RELAXING.

YOU CAN DO IT AT HOME.

BUT LIKE I SAY, YOU MAKE IT FROM YOUR HEART.

AND I'M GLAD THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT ENJOY WHAT I CREATE.

>> WHEN SHE IS NOT CREATING ART, ALLEN IS CREATING OPPORTUNITIES FOR OTHER ARTISTS.

SHE HAS VOLUNTEERED HER TIME CURATING AND HOSTING EXHIBITS FOR LOCAL ARTISTS.

SHE ATTENDS AS MANY OPENINGS SHE CAN TO SHOW SUPPORT FOR ARTISTS, PARTICULARLY FEMALE ARTISTS AND THOSE OF COLOR.

ALLEN IS A FOUNDING MEMBER OF BOTH THE KENTUCKY COALITION OF AFRICAN-AMERICAN ARTS AND THE ARTS COUNCIL OF LOUISVILLE AND DEVELOPED KENTUCKY'S FIRST AFRICAN-AMERICAN ARTS DIRECTORY.

SHE HAS RECEIVED NUMEROUS AWARDS FOR HER CONTRIBUTION TO THE ARTS AND THE COMMUNITY, INCLUDING KENTUCKY'S COMMUNITY ARTS LIFETIME LOCAL ACHIEVEMENT AWARD.

SHE WAS ALSO THE FIRST RECIPIENT OF THE GOVERNOR'S AWARD IN THE ARTS FOR COMMUNITY ARTS.

>> I THINK PEOPLE NEED TO BE INVOLVED.

>> AL ENBELIEVES BEING IN SERVICE TO OTHERS IS ONE OF THE KEYS TO HER LONGEVITY.

>> YOU NEED TO GIVE BACK.

THAT'S IMPORTANT.

YOU LEARN FROM OTHERS.

YOU ABOUT YOU NEED TO GIVE BACK.

>> OTHER KEYS?

STAYING MENTALLY AND PHYSICALLY ACTIVE AND CONNECTING WITH OTHERS.

>> YOU NEED TO GET OUT.

KNEW TOAD LEAVE HOME.

YOU NEED TO HAVE FRIENDS.

I LEAVE HOME ALMOST EVERY DAY GOING SOMEWHERE.

I'M 93 AND HOW MANY PEOPLE 93 ARE ABLE TO GET UP AND GO EVERY DAY?

>> AS FOR HER LEGACY, ALLEN SAYS SHE DOESN'T THINK MUCH ABOUT IT.

>> YOU DO THINGS THAT YOU DON'T REALIZE THAT YOU ARE DOING SOMETHING.

I ENCOURAGE MYSELF.

I THINK YOU HAVE TO HAVE THE WILL TO BE SOMETHING THAT YOU WANT TO BE.

>> WELL, WE ARE LONERRED TO HAVE Dr. ELMER LUCILLE ALLEN HERE WITH US TODAY, WE ARE HONORED AND WE JUST SAW THAT STORY WITH YOU.

AND WHAT AN INSPIRATION.

YOU REALLY ARE AN INSPIRATION TO SO MANY.

YOU DO REALIZE THAT, RIGHT?

>> WELL, YOU KNOW, I DON'T REALIZE WHAT HAVE I DONE BUT I DO THE THINGS THAT I ENJOY DOING.

>> YEAH, LET'S TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE THINGS HAVE YOU DONE.

AS WE TALKED ABOUT, YOU WERE THE FIRST AFRICAN-AMERICAN WOMAN CHEMIST TO BE EVER HIRED BY BROWN FOREMAN.

>> YES.

>> TAKE US BACK TO THAT TIME AND GROWING UP IN A SEGREGATED LOUISVILLE.

>> OKAY.

>> AND WHAT IT WAS LIKE FOR YOU GROWING UP.

>> WELL, LET ME SAY THIS.

COMING UP, ALL THE SCHOOLS WERE SEGREGATED AT THAT TIME.

AND I WENT TO ALL COLORED SCHOOLS UNTIL I WAS A JUNIOR IN COLLEGE.

AND WHEN I BECAME-- I WENT TO A COLLEGE WHICH WAS PART OF THE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISVILLE AND IN 1951, IT BECAME THAT AFRICAN-AMERICANS COULD GO TO THE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISVILLE.

I WAS SENDING MYSELF TO SCHOOL AND SO I WENT TO NAZARETH COLLEGE AND THAT'S WHERE I GRADUATED IN 1953.

SO LIKE I TELL EVERYBODY, IF I HAD NOT GRADUATED WITH A DEGREE IN CHEMISTRY AND MATH, I WOULD NOT HAVE GOTTEN THE JOB AT BROWN FOREMAN.

>> WAS EDUCATION SOMETHING THAT WAS IMPORTANT IN YOUR FAMILY TO YOUR PARENTS?

>> WELL, I AM THE ONLY PERSON IN MY FAMILY WHO FINISHED HIGH SCHOOL OR ANYTHING.

MY MOTHER-- MY SISTERS AND BROTHERS DID NOT FINISH SCHOOL AND MY PARENTS DID NOT FINISH SCHOOL.

I'M THE ONLY PERSON IN MY HOUSEHOLD WHO GRADUATED FROM HIGH SCHOOL AND FROM COLLEGE.

>> SO WHAT MADE YOU WANT TO DO THAT?

AND WHERE DID YOUR LOVE OF MATH BEGIN?

>> WELL, THAT WAS SOMETHING I FELT LIKE THAT I HAD TO DO, THAT I WANTED TO DO.

AND ESPECIALLY WHEN, LIKE I SAY, I COULD NOT GO TO THE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISVILLE BECAUSE UP UNTIL 1951, IT WAS ALL WHITE.

BUT LIKE I SAY, I SENT MYSELF.

I WANTED AN EDUCATION.

AND I WORKED AT ST. AUGUSTINE CHURCH IN THE DAYS WHERE THEY HAD BINGO AND THINGS LIKE THAT AND I HAVE ALWAYS DONE HOUSE WORK AND THINGS LIKE THAT IN THE COMMUNITY.

>> I DON'T THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE REALIZE WHAT IT WAS LIKE GROWING UP IN A TIME LIKE THAT, WHERE SCHOOLS WERE SEGREGATED; NEIGHBORHOODS WERE SEGREGATED.

AND WHEN YOU WENT OUT TO GET A JOB IN THE FIELD YOU WERE TRAINED IN, IT WAS HARD.

>> WELL, I DIDN'T-- WHEN I GRADUATED FROM COLLEGE, I COULD NOT FIND A JOB HERE IN LOUISVILLE.

AND MY VERY FIRST JOB I HAD, I WENT TO ANNAPOLIS WITH MY AUNT AND I GOT A JOB OUT AT THE FORD MANSION AND WORKED AS A CLERK TYPIST AND THEN FROM THERE I WORKED IN LABS AT GENERAL HOSPITAL THERE IN ANNAPOLIS AND THAT'S WHEN I REALLY GOT INTERESTED INTO WORKING IN THE LABS.

>> TELL US ABOUT HOW YOUR CAREER STARTED AT BROWN FOREMAN.

>> WELL, WHEN I WENT TO BROWN FOREMAN THERE WERE THREE OTHER WOMEN IN THE LAB.

THE REST WERE MEN.

HERE I AM TO WORK AND I HAVEN'T CHANGED YET.

>> DID YOU KNOW THEN KNOW THAT WERE YOU THE FIRST AFRICAN-AMERICAN WOMAN TO BE HIRED.

>> I KNEW I WAS THE FIRST AFRICAN MILITIA CHEMIST.

>> >> THAT WAS THAT LIKE FOR YOU?

>> LIKE I TELL EVERYBODY, HERE I AM, TAKE ME AS I AM.

I HAVEN'T CHANGED YET.

>> WAS WAS YOUR WORK?

WHAT DOES A CHEMIST AT BROWN FORMAN DO?

>> BOURBON IS MADE OUT OF CORN, RYE AND MALT.

AND WHEN I FIRST JOB WAS ANALYZING IT.

IF IT DIDN'T MEET CERTAIN STANDARDS, YOU COULDN'T USE THE GRAINS.

THEY HAD TO GO AND THAT'S IT.

THAT WAS MY FIRST JOB WAS ANALYZING THOSE.

>> AND I MANIES READ SOMEWHERE THAT HAVE YOU NEVER HAD A DROP OF ALCOHOL.

>> NO, I STILL DON'T DRINK.

>> AFTER ALL THOSE YEARS AT BROWN-FORMAN.

>> BECAUSE MY FAMILY, MY FATHER DRANK AND I JUST FEEL LIKE, NO, THAT WASN'T SOMETHING THAT I NEEDED TO DO SO I NEVER DRANK.

>> TELL ME MORE ABOUT YOUR TIME AT BROWN-FORMAN.

WHAT DID YOU ENJOY ABOUT THAT JOB AND YOU STAYED THERE FOR YOUR ENTIRE CAREER.

>> 30 YEARS.

I TELL EVERYBODY.

YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT COMPUTERS.

BEFORE I WENT TO BROWN-FORMAN, I TOOK A CLASS AT SPEED MUSEUM IN COMPUTERS.

BUT WHEN I LEARNED HOW TO DO APPLE DATABASE, ALL THIS, I LEARNED AT BROWN-FORMAN.

ALL THIS WAS GOING ON BUT I DID LEARN IT ALL AT BROWN-FORMAN.

>> YOU THINK ABOUT THE CHANGES THAT HAVE HAPPENED, CULTURALLY, AND TECHNOLOGICALLY, FROM THE 1960s TO THE END OF THE 90S WHEN YOU RETIRED.

TALK ABOUT SOME OF THOSE CHANGES.

>> WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT THAT, NOT ONLY THOSE CHANGES BUT IF YOU THINK ABOUT TECHNOLOGY AND PEOPLE ARE ASSUME THAT EVERYBODY HAS A COMPUTER, EVERYBODY HAS A CELL PHONE AND THAT'S NOT TRUE.

AND NOW THEY WANT EVERYTHING DIGITAL.

LIKE ON THE COMPUTER, THEY SAY SCAN THIS.

SO YOU GO, I DON'T DO THAT.

[LAUGHTER] >> I TELL YOU WHAT, YOU ARE PRETTY TECHNOLOGICALLY SAVVY.

WE HAVE BEEN TEXTING.

>> OH YEAH, I DO COMPUTERS AND ALL THAT KIND OF STUFF.

BUT I DO NOT LIKE-- I LIKE TO DEAL WITH PEOPLE.

LIKE THEY WANT EVERYTHING OVER THE LINE.

SO I TELL THEM I'LL MAIL YOU A CHECK.

>> WHAT ABOUT THE TECHNOLOGY WHEN IT CAME TO CHEMISTRY AND WORKING AT BROWN-FORMAN DURING THAT TIME?

I MEAN YOU HAD TO SEE A LOT OF THINGS CHANGE WITH YOUR WORK.

>> COMPUTERS WEREN'T AS TECHNICAL AS IT IS NOW.

IT IS CHANGING EVERY DAY.

>> THAT'S RIGHT.

DID YOU ENJOY THAT CHANGE AND BEING A PART OF THAT TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCEMENTS DURING AT THAT TIME TIME?

>> YOU SIT DOWN AND THINK ABOUT IT, WE WORKED IN THE LAB, EVERYTHING HAD TO BE WRITTEN DOWN.

IT WAS ALL IN A NOTEBOOK.

>> CAN YOU IMAGINE?

>> YEAH, EVERYTHING WAS WRITTEN DOWN.

AND BUT I DIDN'T REALLY DO COMPUTERS.

I ACTUALLY TALK ABOUT DOING THINGS IN COMPUTERS UNTIL LATER ON IN LIFE WHEN I WAS THERE.

AFTER 10 YEARS.

BUT BEFORE THEN, YOU DIDN'T HAVE A LOT OF COMPUTERS.

>> A LOT HAS CHANGED.

SO LET'S TALK ABOUT, YOU RETIRED FROM BROWN-FORMAN IN 1997.

>> YES.

>> AND SO NOW YOU HAVE HAD A WHOLE OTHER HALF OF YOUR LIFE, 30 YEARS NOW ALMOST SINCE YOU HAVE BEEN RETIRED.

>> YEAH.

>> AND NOW IN THIS NEW CHAPTER, AS WE SAW YOU ARE A WELL KNOWN ARTIST IN CERAMICS AND FIBER.

>> YES.

>> WHAT DREW YOU TO THAT OR WERE YOU ALWAYS AN ARTIST.

>> LET ME TELL YOU HOW I GOT INVOLVED IN CERAMICS.

WHETHER MY SON GRADUATED FROM HIGH SCHOOL, I COULDN'T USE MY HANDS.

I WENT TO THE DOCTOR AND THEY RECOMMEND ME GO TO CERAMICS SO MY FIRST CERAMIC CLASS I TOOK WAS AT SENECA HIGH SCHOOL WITH AN ART THERAPIST.

AND I STILL HAVE THE FIRST TWO PIECES THAT I MADE.

I SHOULD HAVE BROUGHT THOSE TODAY.

>> WE SAW THOSE IN THE STORY.

IN THE STORY WE GOT TO SEE THOSE, SO, BUT WHEN WAS THAT?

WAS THAT AFTER-- >> THAT WAS IN THE 70s.

SO I ACTUALLY STARTED TAKING ART CLASSES WHEN I WAS AT BROWN-FORMAN.

I WAS STILL THERE.

THE FIRST CLASSES I TOOK, I TOOK WHAT YOU CALL MOLD CERAMICS WHERE YOU GO TO THE STUDIO AND YOU PAINT AND THEN THEY GLAZE AND YOU BRING THEM HOME BUT THEN I DIDN'T WANT DO THAT SO WHAT I DID, I STARTED TO GO, WENT TO LOUISVILLE METRO ART CENTER OUT AT DIXIE HIGHWAY AND PAGES LANE AND IT'S STILL IN EXISTENCE AND I STUDIED WITH TWO CERAMIC ARTISTS, MELVIN ROE AND LAURA ROSS AND THEY WERE STUDENTS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISVILLE WORKING ON THEIR HAS TERES I STAYED THERE A COUPLE YEARS AND THEY SAID WHY DON'T YOU GO TO U OF L?

I APPLIED FOR U OF L AND I STARTED TAKING CERAMIC CLASSES FROM TOM MORRIS AND THEN AFTER I RETIRED, I WAS STILL TAKING CLASSES AT U OF L AND I WAS ASKED IN 2000 IF I WANTED TO WORK ON A MASTERS DEGREE.

AND I SAID YES.

>> WHY NOT?

>> AND IN ORDER TO GET A MASTERS IN CERAMICS, I HAD TO TAKE ANOTHER CLASS.

I HAD TO TAKE A FIBER CLASS.

AND I TOOK THAT FROM LI LA GARDEN.

SHE IS DECEASED.

THEY HONORED HER A COUPLE WEEKS AGO.

BUT I LEARNED ALL MY FIBER WORK THAT I LEARNED FROM HER AND I LEARNED HOW TO DO STENCILING AND WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT IT WHAT I DO, I DID NOT LEARN FROM HER.

I LEARNED FROM A STUDENT WHO HAD TAKEN A CLASS AND I WANTED TO LEARN SO I TAUGHT MYSELF HOW TO DO THAT.

AND BUT I ENJOY FIBER AND I ENJOY CERAMICS AND I'LL I'M STILL A STUDENT AT U OF L. >> YOU STILL GO TO CLASSES.

>> ON MONDAY AND WEDNESDAY.

>> AND YOU TAKE THE BUS THERE, TOO I.

>> WAS THERE LAST NIGHT.

YES.

>> SO YOU ARE A LIFE LONG LEARNER.

>> YES.

>> AND IS THAT SOMETHING THAT WAS ALWAYS-- IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU WERE ALWAYS CURIOUS, ALWAYS WANTING TO LEARN.

>> I LIKE TO BE INVOLVED WITH PEOPLE AND INTERACTING AND WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT CERAMIC CLASSES, THE CLASS, THE ACTUAL CLASS-- I DO AN INDEPENDENT CLASS.

BUT THE ACTUAL CLASSES THAT'S TAUGHT AT THE SAME TIME, THE AGES RUN FROM 18 TO 19 ALL THE WAY UP.

SO I'M THE OLDEST PERSON THERE AND I COME IN AND I MAKE EVERYBODY SPEAK, HELLO, I'M HERE.

>> YES.

>> BUT I ENJOY BEING IN THE ENVIRONMENT, YES.

>> YES, AND THAT IS WHAT KEEPS YOU YOUNG, I WOULD IMAGINE.

>> YOU KNOW, AND AT U OF L, IF YOU ARE OVER 65 AND HAVE BEEN A STUDENT THERE, YOU CAN GO TO SCHOOL FREE.

>> YES.

ISN'T THAT INCREDIBLE?

SO MANY PEOPLE.

>> SO I BUY MY CLAY AND THEN THEY FRY THEM.

>> AND YOU CAN TAKE ANY CLASS YOU WANT THERE.

>> UH-HUH.

>> AND I WOULD IMAGINE THAT IS GREAT ADVICE TO SOMEONE WHO IS OLDER AND, I MEAN, DO YOU CRETD CREDIT THAT WITH YOUR LONGEVITY.

>> NOT ONLY THAT, BUT SINCE I HAVE BEEN THERE, I HAVE STUDIED WITH TOM MORRIS WHO IS NOW DECEASED AND I STUDIED WITH HIS WIFE, VIRGINIA MORRIS AND SHE LIVES IN TEXAS.

AND WE STILL COMMUNICATE.

IN FACT, I SENT SOME (INAUDIBLE) LAST FLIGHT AND THEN I HAD TODD BURNS AND STEVEN AND NOW WE HAVE ANOTHER YOUNG LADY.

I CAN'T PRONOUNCE HER NAME.

BUT SHE IS THERE NOW.

SO, BUT I'M STILL THERE.

>> WE HAD HEARD, TOO, IN YOUR STORY ABOUT HOW MATH AND CHEMISTRY SEEM VERY FAR FROM THE ART WORLD, IN MY MIND AT LEAST, AND MOST PEOPLE, BUT YOU SAY THEY WORK HAND IN HAND.

>> NERDS, WHEN YOU THINK-- IN OTHER WORDS, WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT EVERYTHING IN THE UNIVERSE STARTS WITH A DOT.

ALL THE ARCHITECTURE THAT YOU SEE STARTS WITH A DOT.

ANGLES, TRIANGLES, EVERYTHING.

AND SO EVERYTHING, ESPECIALLY IN MY FIBER WORK, EVERYTHING IS DONE ON PAPER BEFORE IT'S DONE ON FABRIC.

>> AND I KNOW ANOTHER THING THAT YOU ARE VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT IS HELPING OTHERS.

>> YEAH, HAVE YOU TO GIVE.

HAVE YOU TO GIVE BACK.

>> PARTICULARLY YOUNGER PEOPLE.

>> YES.

AND, YOU KNOW, YOU SIT DOWN AND THINK ABOUT WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT GIVING BACK, YOU KNOW, THE WAY SIDE CHRISTIAN MISSION AND WHAT THEY DO FOR THE PUBLIC.

THEY HAD A GALLERY THAT I RAN FOR ALMOST 10 YEARS THERE AND BUT I STILL COMMUNICATE WITH THEM.

BUT THE GALLERY IS NO LONGER-- THEY CLOSED THE GALLERY.

>> WHAT IS YOUR BEST ADVICE TO YOUNG PEOPLE?

>> YOU HAVE TO BE INVOLVED AND HAVE YOU TO GIVE.

EVERYTHING I'VE DONE, I GIVE.

I DO NOT GET PAID FOR ANYTHING.

THE ONLY THING I GET PAID FOR, IF I SELL ARTWORK IN AN EXZ BIGS.

IN OTHER WORDS, I GIVE EVERYTHING AWAY.

>> WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THIS GENERATION OF KIDS NOW WHO ARE GROWING UP WITH A COMPUTER IN THEIR BACK POCKET?

>> ACTUALLY, I THINK THAT'S GOOD IN ONE WAY BECAUSE YOU STAY CONNECTED BUT YOU ARE NOT CONNECTING WITH PEOPLE.

YOU MUST TALK TO INDIVIDUALS.

FACE TO FACE.

>> SO IMPORTANT.

>> SO IMPORTANT TO BE INVOLVED IN A COMMUNITY.

>> IS THAT THE SAME ADVICE YOU WOULD GIVE TO OLDER ADULTS.

>> I HAVE FRIENDS THAT NEVER LEAVE THEIR HOUSE.

I LEAVE HOME AT LEAST FOUR OR FIVE TIMES A WEEK IF NOT MORE.

>> YES, YOU DO.

HAVE YOU TO GET TO CLASS, RIGHT.

>> I LIKE TO BE INVOLVED, YEAH.

>> WHAT IS THE SECRET TO LIVING TO 93 YEARS OLD AND REMAINING INVOLVED, REMAINING PASSIONATE ABOUT THESE PROJECTS?

>> WELL, I DON'T DRINK.

I DON'T SMOKE.

I DON'T WEAR MAKEUP AND I'M JUST ME.

YOU SEE ME AS I AM.

[LAUGHTER] >> YOU ARE.

>> I AM WHO I AM, YEAH TAKE ME AS I AM.

>> WHAT-- I KNOW YOU STILL HAVE SOME PROJECTS IN THE WORKS, RIGHT?

TELL US WHAT IS AHEAD FOR YOU.

>> I DO CERAMICS AND THEN IF YOU ASK ME TO BE IN AN EXHIBIT, AND THEN THEY'RE GETTING READY TO DO -- I GRADUATED FROM WHAT IS NOW SPALDING UNIVERSITY AND THEY WILL HAVE THE SEVENTH ANNUAL CONFERENCE FEBRUARY 1 AND 19th AND THE PERSON-- FEBRUARY 18 AND 19th AND THE PERSON RESPONSIBLE IS Dr. DEONTE HALLAWAY.

HE IS PROMOTING IT FOR EVERYBODY.

>> WHAT IS THAT ABOUT?

>> AFRICAN-AMERICAN HISTORY.

AND THAT'S WHAT IT IS SPOKE USED ON.

-- FOCUSED ON AND HE IS AN AFRICAN AMERICAN AND YESTERDAY I WAS INTERVIEWED BY TART, I THINK THEY ARE GOING TO HELP FUND THE ORGANIZATION.

SO I WAS INTERVIEWED BY THEM YESTERDAY AT SPAULDING UNIVERSITY.

>> WHY IS THAT PART OF HISTORY SO IMPORTANT FOR US TO RECOGNIZE AND CELEBRATE?

>> WELL, IF YOU SIT DOWN AND THINK ABOUT IT, WHEN I CAME-- WITH I WAS BORN IN 1931, YOU KNOW, AND UP UNTIL 1951, EVERYTHING WAS SEGREGATED AND I WENT TO CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL AND THEN IT WAS INTEGRATED IN THE LATE 50s.

SO ALL THE LEARN IS THAT I HAD CAME FROM AFRICAN-AMERICANS AND YOU THINK ABOUT SCIENCE CLASSES, AND I WENT TO CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL.

I TOOK BIOLOGY, BOTANY, PHYSICS, ZOOLOGY, CHEMISTRY, PHYSICS.

NOWADAYS, LIKE I SAY, EVERYTHING WAS TAUGHT AT ONE SCHOOL.

AND THAT'S HOW I LEARNED EVERYTHING.

BUT NOWADAYS CHILDREN ARE NOT INVOLVED IN THAT.

ALL THE SCHOOLS ARE DIFFERENT AND THERE ARE ONLY A FEW SCHOOLS, PUBLIC SCHOOLS THAT OFFER COURSES THAT GET YOU READY TO GO TO COLLEGE.

>> THAT'S RIGHT.

AND WHERE DID THAT LOVE OF MATH COME FROM IN YOU?

DO YOU KNOW?

>> I DON'T KNOW WHERE IT CAME FROM BUT THAT'S WHAT I LOVE TO DO.

>> YOU JUST ENJOYED IT AND... >> I GUESS EVERYTHING-- BUT WHEN YOU SIT DOWN AND THINK ABOUT THIS ROOM, LOOK AT THAT WINDOW BEHIND YOU.

EVERYTHING IS A SQUARE.

AND THAT'S ALL GEOMETRY.

IT'S ALL MATH.

>> AND THAT'S HOW YOU SEE THE WORLD.

>> YES.

EVERYTHING STARTS WITH A DOT.

>> AND I'M NOT A MATH MIND, SO THAT'S FASCINATING TO ME.

>> I LOOK AT-- WELL, MY DAUGHTER, I LEARNED HOW TO SEW IN THE 7th GRADE AND MY VERY FIRST THING I MADE WAS A SCALLOPED SLIP OUT OF MUSLIN AND I SOLD-- I SEWED EVERYTHING FOR MY DAUGHTER ALL THE WAY THROUGH COLLEGE.

AND SHE WAS IF THE QUEENS COURT, YOU KNOW, FOR FOOTBALL.

AND I MADE FIVE OUTFIT FOR HER.

I DON'T SEW NOW BECAUSE IT'S CHEAPER NOW TO GO BUY SOMETHING THAT YOU ARE ONLY GOING TO WEAR ONE TIME THAN IT IS TO SIT DOWN AND MAKE IT.

LT. >> SO YOU ARE AN ACCOMPLISHED SEAMSTRESS, TOO.

WE'LL ADD THAT TO THE LIST.

>> I MADE EVERYTHING.

I SEWED ALL THE TIME AND WHAT I WOULD DO, I WOULD TAKE MY PATTERN AT BROWN-FORMAN AND AT LUNCH TIME WOULD I GO DOWNSTAIRS IN THE BATHROOM AND LAY MY PATTERNS OUT AND CUT THEM OUT THERE AND GO HOME AND SEW.

>> WOW.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE THING TO DO?

IF YOU HAVE A FREE DAY, WHAT ARE YOU DOING?

>> I LOVE BEING WITH PEOPLE.

I LOVE GOING TO THE MOVIES.

I LOVE GOING TO THE MOVIES.

AND ONE THING THAT WHEN YOU ARE INVOLVED WITH PEOPLE, IS THAT YOU ARE INTERACTING AND I THINK THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT.

>> YEAH WHAT DO YOU THINK IS THE BIGGEST CHANGE THAT YOU'VE SEEN IN YOUR LIFETIME FOR US CULTURALLY?

WHAT HAS CHANGED MOST?

>> WELL, LIKE I SAY, I GREW UP IN AN ALL BLACK COMMUNITY.

AND THE ONLY PEOPLE-- PEOPLE TALK ABOUT WHITES AND BLACKS.

I DIDN'T SEE WHITE PEOPLE BECAUSE IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD, IT WAS TWO JEWS, A JEWISH GROCERY STORE AND A JEWISH DRUGSTORE.

AND I TELL PEOPLE TODAY I DO NOT LIKE GOING TO SHAWNEE PARK BECAUSE I BABY SAT FOR THE JEWISH DRUGSTORE, CLA REESE HELLER AND THEY DID NOT WANT ME TO GO TO THE BATHROOM.

>> IN THEIR HOME.

>> NO AT SHAWNEE PARK.

I HAVE ALWAYS WORKED AND I WOULD TAKE CLARICE, SHE TOOK DANCING AND WE WOULD CATCH THE BUS AND WOULD I TAKE HER DANCING AND SO I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN A WORKER.

>> AND THAT WAS WHEN YOU WERE BABYSITTING?

>> AND WE WOULD GO TO THE PARK.

BUT YOU COULDN'T ABOUT TO THE BATHROOM.

>> YOU COULDN'T GO TO THE BATHROOM.

WOW.

>> AND I DON'T CARE ABOUT GOING TO SHAWNEE PARK TODAY.

AND ANOTHER REASON WHY I TALK ABOUT SHAWNEE PARK IS THAT WHEN I HAD TWO BOYS, I HAD THREE CHILDREN.

AND I WANTED MY-- MY BOYS WANTED TO PLAY BASEBALL BUT THEY COULD NOT BELONG TO THE SHAWNEE LITTLE LEAGUE BECAUSE IT WAS ALL WHITE.

I'M FROM I FORMED THE CHICKASAW LITTLE LEAGUE AND I HAD SIX TEAMS AND I RAISED MONEY FOR THEM.

I HAD THAT SO THAT, YEAH, THEY COULD PLAY BASEBALL.

>> THERE IS ANOTHER THING ON THE LIST OF YOUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS THAT I DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT.

>> YEAH, SHAWNEE LITTLE LEAGUE.

THAT WAS IN THE 60s.

IN CHICKASAW PARK.

>> WHAT DO YOU HOPE ONE DAY YOUR LEGACY IS?

>> YOU HAVE TO TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF AND YOUR FAMILY AND HAVE YOU TO RESPECT YOURSELF AND RESPECT OTHERS.

YEAH.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ TRULY AN INSPIRATION.

KET HAS A COLLECTION OF STORIES ABOUT THE LIFE OF LUCILLE ALLEN FROM KENTUCKY LIFE TO KENTUCKY EDITION.

WE HAVE YOU LINKED UP TO ALL OF THOSE ONLINE AT KET.ORG/INSIDELOUISVILLE AND BE SURE TO FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA.

YOU CAN SEE INTERVIEW EXCERPTS, INSIGHTS BEHIND THE SCENES AND MORE.

WE ARE ON INSTAGRAM AT KET IN LOU.

THANKS FOR SPENDING TIME GETTING TO KNOW LOUISVILLE.

I HOPE TO SEE YOU HERE NEXT TIME.

UNTIL THEN, HAVE A GREAT WEEK.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪