Coleman Plans Monument Honoring Nettie Depp

During Governor Andy Beshear's Wednesday update, Lt. Governor Jacqueline Coleman announced plans for the first monument honoring a woman in the state capitol.

"In honor of the United States Women's Suffrage Centennial August 18 and Women's Equality Day on August 26th, today I'm announcing the first monument honoring a woman, Nettie Depp, in the state Capitol," the Lieutenant Governor said. "The unveiling of the Nettie Depp monument will occur next year, August 21, 2021."

According to Coleman, Depp was a pioneer in education in Kentucky, serving as a teacher, principal, and elected school superintendent in 1913, seven years before women earned full voting rights in the Commonwealth.

"She was a true visionary in education reform and suffragist," Coleman said. "The impact Nettie Depp had on her community is profound and can be felt a century later. May her life serve as a lesson to us all."

Coleman shared that the project actually began in 2014, with a mission to redress a historical lack of honor and understand of American history regarding the work, sacrifices, and contributions of the country's women.

"I hope that by having the statue of Nettie Depp prominently displayed in the Capitol, we can inspire the next generation of Kentuckians, promote gender equality, and highlight the importance of education and careers in education for the thousands of student visitors we welcome to Frankfort every year,"  Coleman said.

Governor Andy Beshear announced 546 new cases of the virus as of Wednesday, bringing the total number of cases to 32,741. Beshear noted that 21 of the new cases were children aged 5 and younger.

Beshear announced one new death, bringing the total number of deaths to 752. At least 8,467 Kentuckians have recovered.