The University Press of Kentucky has announced Jessica K. Whitehead’s “Driftwood: The Life of Harlan Hubbard” has been awarded the 2025 Thomas D. Clark Medallion.
The prize recognizes outstanding contributions to Kentucky’s literary and cultural heritage.
Whitehead’s comprehensive biography offers a rich and nuanced portrait of Harlan Hubbard (1900-1988) — writer, artist, and sustainability pioneer. Drawing from unpublished journals, letters, manuscripts, and artwork, she traces Hubbard’s evolution from a young man searching for meaning along the Ohio River to a confident advocate of simple living and creative independence.
“It is so meaningful to me that the life and legacy of Harlan Hubbard, and that of his incredible wife and partner, Anna, have resonated so profoundly with our reading community,” said Whitehead. “We can all learn so much, in these days of uncertainty, from the gentle values of the Hubbards: celebrating beauty and learning, living authentically, and honoring the natural world. I am humbled that, through awarding this honor to “Driftwood,” the Foundation has placed the Hubbard story alongside works by great scholars and writers like Crystal Wilkinson, Richard Taylor, and James Still. I am in good company, and I feel sure that Harlan would think so, too.”
Named in honor of the late Thomas D. Clark — the esteemed Kentucky Historian Laureate and a founder of the University Press of Kentucky — the Clark Medallion recognizes books that enrich understanding of Kentucky and its region. Presented annually by the Thomas D. Clark Foundation Inc., the award includes a $1,000 prize and an event celebrating the recipient.
“Jessica Whitehead’s ‘Driftwood: The Life of Harlan Hubbard’ is an important historical story of a unique Kentuckian and creative whose principles remain relevant in today’s world,” said William Francis, president of the Thomas D. Clark Foundation Board of Directors.
Whitehead is a writer and curator of collections at the Kentucky Derby Museum. She is a co-author of “The History of the Kentucky Derby in 75 Objects,” which is a semifinalist for the 19th annual Dr. Tony Ryan Book Award, and a contributor to “The Watercolors of Harlan Hubbard: From the Collection of Bill and Flo Caddell.”
Whitehead will be in Hopkinsville on Thursday, Aug. 28, to discuss her Kentucky Derby book during the History on Tap program for the Museums of Historic Hopkinsville-Christian County. The free program begins at 6:30 p.m. at Hopkinsville Brewing Co.
