During April, we celebrate Diversity Month! This month offers an opportunity to focus on and celebrate diversity all around us.

Louisville’s diversity today looks a lot different than it did in the past. Did you know there was a time when over half of Louisville’s residents were foreign born? This was true before the early 1900s. By the 1930 census only around 27% of Louisville residents were foreign born, and between 2017 and 2021 that number dropped to only 7.5%. However, to put that in perspective, 27% in 1930 represented around 460 residents, while 7.5% of today’s population represents around 1,850 residents!

This chart shows the top five largest ethnic groups of first or second-generation immigrants in Louisville in 1930 as a percentage of the total population. Italians made up 27% of Louisville’s total population, Hispanics 11%, English 10.5%, French 5.3% and Slovaks 4%. Many other countries were also represented such as Denmark, Germany, Greece, Turkey and more!

In the past, you could walk down Main Street and hear a variety of languages. For at least 22% of Louisville’s residents, the 1930 census records a “mother tongue” other than English. Italian and Spanish are the two most commonly known. This chart shows how many people knew the six most common languages (other than English) in Louisville in 1930 [Pie chart showing Italian (178), Spanish (64), French (41), German (39), Slovak (25), and Bulgarian (6)].

Diversity in Louisville today looks a lot different than the categories documented on early censuses that captured language and diverse, but mostly European, origins. In addition to race, ethnicity, language, sexual orientation, and gender identity, diversity also includes age, religious and spiritual beliefs, disability, and socioeconomic status and background. All of these social identities encompass who we are as individuals. At the City of Louisville, we work to not only celebrate our similarities but our differences as well. We do this by living into one of our City values, respect, which means treating people with care and consideration, celebrating differences, and encouraging authenticity. In February, the City of Louisville welcomed Monai Myles (they/she) as the new Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Manager. We are excited to welcome them to Louisville and aid in their efforts to lead and advance the City’s equity, diversity, and inclusion efforts.