In 1976 archivists around Kentucky gathered to discuss the creation of an association in the state to promote archives and the work of archivists. Some of these charter KCA members included Lew Bellardo, Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives; Sr. Mary Michael Creamer, SCN, Spalding University; Penny Harrison, Western Kentucky University; Pat Hodges, Western Kentucky University; Bill Marshall of the University of Kentucky, and Bill Morison of the University of Louisville.

The newly formed Kentucky Council on Archives held its first meeting March 28, 1977, at Western Kentucky University. Member dues originally started at $2, in 1977 and 1978. They were raised to $3 in 1979 and to $6 in 1981. Dues will be raised again in 1998, to $10, by membership approval in 1997.


Penny Harrison served ten years as both KCA treasurer and KCA archivist. The records of the organization resided at her repository, Western Kentucky University, from 1976 to 1986. With Penny's retirement from WKU, she relinquished the KCA positions as well. In 1986 the University of Louisville's University Archives and Records Center accepted responsibility for the archives. The archives remained at U of L for eleven years until April 1997, when Western Kentucky University agreed to host them again. U of L exchanged the role of archivist for that of KCA Web page host and creator. The archives are now located at the Kentucky Library, Western Kentucky University.




In 1985 the KCA Administrative Board instituted a special recognition to be awarded at the Board's discretion. This award is the KCA Fellowship. The Board intended from the first that the award would not be made on a regular schedule, as it is given only to individuals culminating exemplary careers in archives, in promoting archives, or in service to Kentucky.
The certificate inscription reads as follows:


A Fellow of the council in recognition of distinguished service in promotion of the collection, preservation, and administration of archives and other primary resources relating to the history of Kentucky. These efforts included leadership; advancement of the archival profession in the Commonwealth through advocacy and example; and endeavor that increased understanding of archival theory and public awareness of archival activity through publication, oral presentations, or other service to fellow archivists, researchers, and the general public. The Kentucky Council on Archives notes such service to be worthy of its highest accolade as fulfillment of the purposes for which the Council is established.

The fellowship has been awarded three times. The initial award was made to Dr. Thomas D. Clark at the fall meeting of 1985 in recognition of the singular role he has played in the development of archives in the state. The second recipient was Elaine "Penny" Harrison in 1986, at the time of her retirement, in appreciation of her distinguished career at Western Kentucky University and particularly her efforts on behalf of KCA in assisting its creation and service as KCA treasurer and archivist for ten years. The third fellowship was given to Dr. Lewis "Lew" Bellardo in 1987, following his departure from the position of state archivist with the Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives to go to the Georgia Historical Society. Lew received acknowledgment for the advances the state archives had made in his tenure and for the leadership he had given to several cooperative projects among Kentucky archival repositories in those years as well.

Maintained by Jim Cundy
Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives