Editing Lexington, Kentucky (section)

===20th century to present===
City school superintendent Massillon Alexander Cassidy (1886–1928) implemented [[Progressive Era]] reforms. He focused on upgrading the buildings and setting up teacher-training. He emphasized the need to improve literacy rates and expand access to public schooling. Cassidy's own philosophy stressed the use of science, business, and expertise. He also had a paternalistic attitude toward blacks, who were in segregated public schools.<ref>Richard E. Day and Lindsey N. DeVries. "A Southern Progressive: M. A. Cassidy and the Lexington Schools, 1886–1928." ''American Educational History Journal'' 39.1/2 (2012): 107–125.</ref>

Amidst the tensions between black and white populations over the lack of [[affordable housing]] in the city, a race riot broke out on September 1, 1917. At the time, the Colored A. & M. Fair (one of the largest African American fairs in the South) on Georgetown Pike had attracted more African Americans from the surrounding area into the city. Also during this time, some [[United States National Guard]] troops were camping on the edge of the city. Three troops passed in front of an African American restaurant and shoved some people on the sidewalk. A fight broke out, reinforcements for the troops and civilians both appeared, and soon a riot began. The [[Kentucky National Guard]] was summoned, and once the riot had ended, armed soldiers and police patrolled the streets. All other National Guard troops were barred from the city streets until the fair ended.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://nkaa.uky.edu/nkaa/items/show/2069 |title=Race Riot of 1917 (Lexington, KY) |website=Notable Kentucky African Americans Database |access-date=February 5, 2020 |archive-date=February 5, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200205181736/https://nkaa.uky.edu/nkaa/items/show/2069 |url-status=live }}</ref>

On February 9, 1920, tensions flared up again, this time over the trial of [[Will Lockett]], a black man who murdered Geneva Hardman, a 10-year-old white girl. When a large mob gathered outside the courthouse where Lockett's trial was underway, Kentucky Governor [[Edwin P. Morrow]] massed the National Guard troops into the streets to work alongside local law enforcement. As the mob advanced on the courthouse, the National Guard opened fire, killing six and wounding 50 others. Fearing further retaliation from the mob, Morrow urged the [[United States Army]] to provide assistance. Led by Brigadier General [[Francis Marshall (U.S. Army officer)|Francis C. Marshall]], approximately 1,200 federal troops from nearby [[Camp Zachary Taylor]] moved into the city the same day to assist National Guard forces and local police in bringing order and peace. Marshall declared [[martial law]] in the city and had soldiers positioned throughout the area for two weeks. Lockett was eventually executed on March 11 at the [[Kentucky State Penitentiary]] in [[Eddyville, Kentucky|Eddyville]], after being found guilty of murdering Hardman.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Brackney |first=Peter |title=The Murder of Geneva Hardman and Lexington's Mob Riot of 1920 |pages=89–100, 103–120 |publisher=[[The History Press]] |date=January 20, 2020 |isbn=978-1-4671-4396-7}}</ref>

In 1935, during the [[Great Depression]], the Addiction Research Center (ARC) was created as a small research unit at the [[United States Public Health Service]] hospital in Lexington.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.drugabuse.gov/NIDA_Notes/NNVol10N6/ARCHistory.html |title=History of the Addiction Research Center |publisher=Drugabuse.gov |date=May 15, 1935 |access-date=November 18, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090825210041/http://drugabuse.gov/NIDA_Notes/NNVol10N6/ARCHistory.html |archive-date=August 25, 2009 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Founded as one of the first [[drug rehabilitation]] clinics in the nation, the ARC was affiliated with a federal prison. Expanded as the first alcohol and drug rehabilitation hospital in the United States, it was known as "Narco" of Lexington. The hospital was later converted to operate as part of the [[Federal Bureau of Prisons|federal prison system]]; it is known as the [[Federal Medical Center, Lexington]] and serves a variety of health needs for prisoners. Lexington also served as the headquarters for a [[Pack Horse Library Project|pack horse library]] in the late 1930s and early 1940s.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/13537685/ |title=Need in Kentucky |date=November 21, 1937 |work=The Indianapolis Star |access-date=September 3, 2017 |via=Newspapers.com |archive-date=April 2, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240402051740/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-indianapolis-star/13537685/ |url-status=live }}</ref>