Luska Joseph Twyman (1913 - 1988)

Biography

Luska Twyman was a Kentucky politician and educator. He became the first African American mayor in the state of Kentucky in 1968 when he became mayor of Glasgow, Kentucky.^[1]

Luska Joseph Twyman was born on May 19, 1913 in Hiseville, Barren, Kentucky, United States, son of William Edward Twyman and Eliza Twyman.^[2][3]

Luska was educated in Barren County, Kentucky's segregated school system. He received his high school diploma from Mayo-Underwood High School in Frankfort, Kentucky and then graduated from Kentucky State University with a degree in education and history Luska later received his masters in education administration from Indiana University. He also did post graduate work at Peabody College in Nashville, Tennessee.^[4]

He registered for the WWII draft in Barren County, Kentucky on October 16, 1940. He gave his brother as his next of kin and his occupation as a teacher. He enlisted as a private on August 8, 1942 at Louisville, Kentucky and served his country until January 26, 1946, which included a tour of duty in the Phillipines.^[5][6][7][8]

After his service in the Army, Luska returned to Barren County and taught at the segregated Ralph J Bunche High School where he later became principal. When the schools were desegregated he became assistant principal at Glasgow High School. Four years later the Bunche school became a 6th grade center and Luska was the principal.

He married Gladys Woodson, a native of Hart County, Kentucky on 10 December 1943 in Marion County, Indiana.^[9][10]

Luska was elected to a seat on the Glasgow City Council in 1962. He served in this capacity until September 1968, when the council members unanimously selected him to finish out the term of Mayor Robert Lessenberry who had resigned. The next morning after his appointment as mayor, he found a reporter, photographer, and television cameraman waiting for him outside his office door for an interview. He had become the first Black mayor in Kentucky and one of only a few in the nation. The following November he ran for the office of mayor and won with a majority in all nine precincts. He served three four-year terms as the mayor of Glasgow.^[10]

Luska died on January 28, 1988 in Barren County, Kentucky. He buried in the Bearwallow Baptist Cemetery in Horse Cave, Kentucky.^[11][12]

Other highlights of Luska Twyman's career include

• Appointed by Governor Louie B Nunn to the Board of Regents of Kentucky State University. He was named as one of their 100 Outstanding Alumni for their centennial celebration in 1986.

• Appointed in 1970 for a two year term on US Department of Agriculture's civil rights advisory board

• Served on the Board of Directors Simmons Bible College in Louisville, Kentucky He was awarded an honorary law degree by them in 1971

• Served four years on the Kentucky Education Association board of directors

Sources

1. ↑ Wikipedia, "Luska Twyman." Wikimedia Foundation. Last modified February 6, 2023, accessed 25 March 2023, Wikipedia
2. ↑ "Kentucky, Vital Record Indexes, 1911-1999," database, citing Birth, Barren, Kentucky, United States, Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives, Frankfort, (FamilySearch Record: QKH5-TXZT : accessed 24 March 2023), Lusha J Twyman born on 19 May 1912, child of Eliza Twyman, in Barren, Kentucky, United States.
3. ↑ "U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007," database, Social Security Applications and Claims, 1936-2007, (Ancestry Record 60901 #20505733 : accessed 24 March 2023), Name Luska Joseph Twyman [Luska J Twyman], Gender Male, Race Black, Birth Date 19 May 1913, Birth Place Glasgow Barren, Kentucky, Death Date Jan 1988, Father Edward Twyman, Mother Eliza Twyman, Notes Jun 1941: Name listed as LUSKA JOSEPH TWYMAN; 03 Mar 1988: Name listed as LUSKA J TWYMAN.
4. ↑ Tim Talbott, “Luska Joseph Twyman (1913-1988),” ExploreKYHistory, accessed March 29, 2023, https://explorekyhistory.ky.gov/items/show/306.
5. ↑ "U.S., World War II Draft Cards Young Men, 1940-1947," database with images, National Archives at St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, Wwii Draft Registration Cards For Kentucky, 10/16/1940-03/31/1947, Record Group Records of the Selective Service System, 147, Box 656, Ancestry Sharing Link - (Ancestry Record 2238 #37807914 : accessed 24 March 2023), Name Luska Joseph Twyman, Gender Male, Race Negro (Black), Age 27, Relationship to Draftee Self (Head), Birth Date 19 May 1913, Birth Place Barren, Kentucky, Residence Place Glasgow, Barren, Kentucky, USA, Registration Date 16 Oct 1940, Registration Place Kentucky, USA, Employer City Bd of Education, Height 5 10, Weight 142, Complexion Black, Hair Color Black, Eye Color Brown, Next of Kin Ray Edward Twyman, Household Members (Name) Relationship Luska Joseph Twyman Self (Head).
6. ↑ "U.S., World War II Army Enlistment Records, 1938-1946," database, National Archives at College Park, College Park, Maryland, USA, Electronic Army Serial Number Merged File, 1938-1946, NAID 1263923, Record Group Title Records of the National Archives and Records Administration, 1789-ca. 2007, Record Group 64, Box Number 09485, Reel 10, (Ancestry Record 8939 #1961528 : accessed 24 March 2023), Name Luska J Twyman, Race Negro (Black), Marital Status Single, with dependents (Single), Rank Private, Birth Year 1913, Nativity State or Country Kentucky, Citizenship Citizen, Residence Barren, Kentucky, Education 4 years of college, Civil Occupation Teachers (secondary school) and principals, Enlistment Date 8 Aug 1942, Enlistment Place Louisville, Kentucky, Service Number 35488461, Branch Branch Immaterial - Warrant Officers, USA, Component Selectees (Enlisted Men), Source Civil Life, Height 68, Weight 133.
7. ↑ "U.S., Department of Veterans Affairs BIRLS Death File, 1850-2010," database, Beneficiary Identification Records Locator Subsystem (BIRLS) Death File. Washington, D.C. U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Page number 1, (Ancestry Record 2441 #9988999 : accessed 24 March 2023), Name Luska J Twyman, Birth Date 19 May 1913, Death Date 28 Jan 1988, Enlistment Branch A, Enlistment Date 22 Aug 1942, Discharge Date 26 Jan 1946.
8. ↑ "Newspapers.com," database with images, Lexington Herald-Leader (Lexington, Kentucky) 29 Jan 1988, page 27, (Newspapers Clip: 121529252 : accessed 24 March 2023)
9. ↑ "Web: Marion County, Indiana, U.S., Marriage Index, 1925-2012," database, Marriage Record Search. Marion County, Indiana, Circuit Court. http://www.biz.indygov.org/apps/civil/marriage/search accessed 1 July 2012 (no longer available), (Ancestry Record 70441 #41256407 : accessed 29 March 2023), Gladys Woodson marriage to Luska Twyman on 10 Dec 1943 in Marion, Indiana, USA.
10. ↑ ^{10.0 10.1} "Newspapers.com," database with images, The Courier-Journal (Louisville, Kentucky) 25 Sep 1968, page , (Newspapers Clip: 121529117 : accessed 24 March 2023), Twyman Elected Mayor.
11. ↑ "Kentucky, Vital Record Indexes, 1911-1999," database, citing Death, Barren, Kentucky, United States, Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives, Frankfort, (FamilySearch Record: QKH1-SVHW : accessed 24 March 2023), Luska J Twyman death 28 Jan 1988 (age 74) in Barren, Kentucky, United States.
12. ↑ "Find a Grave," database with images, (Find A Grave: Memorial #60721795 : accessed 24 March 2023), Memorial page for Luska Joseph Twyman (19 May 1913-28 Jan 1988), citing Bearwallow Baptist Cemetery, Horse Cave, Hart County, Kentucky, USA; Maintained by Combs26 (contributor 48250375).

• "United States Census, 1920," database with images, citing Affiliate Publication Number: T625; Affiliate Film Number: 558; Line: 47; FHL microfilm: 1820558; Record number: 17959, (FamilySearch Record: MH2D-3MZ : accessed 24 March 2023) FamilySearch Image: 33SQ-GRXC-S66 Image number 00370, Luska Twyman (7), single son, in household of Eliza Twyman (41) in Barren, Kentucky, United States. Born in Kentucky.

• "United States Census, 1930," database with images, citing enumeration district (ED) ED 12, sheet 1B, line 37, family 27, NARA microfilm publication T626 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2002), roll 732; FHL microfilm 2,340,467, (FamilySearch Record: XMD2-JPP : accessed 24 March 2023) FamilySearch Image: 33S7-9R4B-7PH Image number 00915, Luska Twyman (17), single son, in household of Eliza Twyman (52) in Hiseville, Barren, Kentucky, United States. Born in Kentucky.

• "United States Census, 1940," database with images, citing enumeration district (ED) 5-4, sheet 13A, line 26, family 281, Sixteenth Census of the United States, 1940, NARA digital publication T627. Records of the Bureau of the Census, 1790 - 2007, RG 29. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2012, roll 1278, (FamilySearch Record: K755-5HH : accessed 24 March 2023) FamilySearch Image: 3QS7-L9M1-9L4N, Luster Twyman (28), single lodger, in household of John H Mitchell (66) in Magisterial District 1, Barren, Kentucky, United States. Born in Kentucky.

• "Newspapers.com," database with images, The Courier-Journal (Louisville, Kentucky) 29 Jan 1988, page , (Newspapers Clip: 121529188 : accessed 24 March 2023), Obituary for Luska Twyman

See also:

• Wikidata: Item Q6705193