Both events are free and open to the public. Through the spoken word, Momaday's dedication to his people's heritage has been profoundly felt. Born to the Kiowa tribe in the Oklahoma Dustbowl, he was raised on reservations in the Southwest, steeped in the oral tradition. His storytelling keeps the myths and culture of his people alive for many to appreciate. They are told to be believed.
Stories are realities lived and believed.
They are true. Momaday's creative accomplishments include not only fiction but also poetry, plays, essays and paintings. He is a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and holds 12 honorary degrees from American colleges and universities, including Yale University, the University of Massachusetts and the University of Wisconsin. We are pleased to welcome an author and oral historian of Dr. Momaday's stature to Kentucky. The Blazer Lecture Series in the Humanities was endowed 53 years ago by Paul G. Blazer Sr., founder of Ashland Oil, Inc., and his wife Georgia Blazer, the first woman to serve on the UK Board of Trustees.