The next episode of KET’s Kentucky Life spotlights the stories of three remarkable women with Kentucky ties: Alice Allison Dunnigan, Mary Breckinridge and Mary Ingles. The episode airs Saturday, Feb. 1, at 8/7 pm and Sunday, Feb. 2, at 4/3 pm on KET, and Monday, Feb. 3, at 7/6 pm on KET2. 

First, Kentucky Life remembers Alice Allison Dunnigan, born in Russellville in 1906, who as a journalist went on to become the first African-American woman to receive White House press credentials. In 2019, her descendants gathered in her hometown to celebrate her life and unveil a statue in her honor.

Then, Kentucky Life revisits Doug Flynn’s first story as the program’s new host six years ago—when he took a wild ride aboard a Rockin’ Thunder jet boat.

Next, Kentucky Life travels to Leslie County to visit Wendover, the mountain home built in the 1920s that became the heart of the Frontier Nursing School, founded by Mary Breckinridge. Today, Wendover is a retreat center, a bed and breakfast, and an enduring symbol of Breckinridge’s enduring commitment to families of Appalachia.

Finally, Kentucky Life stops off in Burlington, where outside the Boone County Library rests a statue of pioneer wife and mother, Mary Draper Ingles. Ingles was captured by Shawnee during the French and Indian War, but she later escaped and trekked some 500 miles to return home to her native Virginia.

Kentucky Life is a KET production, produced by Chelsea Gorham. Segment producers for this episode are Abbey Oldham, Frank Simkonis, and Chelsea Gorham.

This year is Kentucky Life’s25th anniversary, and to mark the occasion, the program will include special Memory segments, in which each of Kentucky Life’shosts—Byron Crawford, Dave Shuffett and Doug Flynn—will revisit some of their favorite stories over the years. 

KET is Kentucky’s largest classroom, where learning comes to life for more than one million people each week via television, online and mobile. Learn more about Kentucky’s preeminent public media organization at KET.org, on Twitter @KET and at facebook.com/KET.