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Kentucky State University held a groundbreaking ceremony on campus during Homecoming, on Oct. 11, for the Dr. Henry E. Cheaney Legacy Plaza.

Cheaney, a native of Henderson, Ky., was widely known in the region as a historian, author and civic leader. He began teaching at the Kentucky State Industrial College for Colored Persons (now Kentucky State University) after earning his Bachelor of Arts degree in 1936.

Cheaney and his wife, Ora-Mae ’35, who also taught at the university, remained engaged at their alma mater after retirement and often opened their home to former students.

Individuals can honor a legacy and pay tribute to Cheaney by purchasing bricks or plaques at the new plaza. The funds raised from the Cheaney Plaza project will support the construction of a new athletic complex.

Each brick measures 4″ x 8″ and can be engraved with the name of a relative or friend or a special message. The bricks will be embedded in the plaza’s walkway, located across from the Carl M. Hill Student Center. Plaques will be displayed along the plaza wall. Each plaque measures 9″ x 12″.

The groundbreaking will be held immediately after the Founder’s Day Convocation, which starts at 11 a.m. in Bradford Hall’s Carl H. Smith Auditorium. In the event of rain, the ceremony will move from the flag plaza to Bradford Hall.

For more information about the plaza or to purchase a brick or plaque, call 597-6760.