LEXINGTON, Ky. — Porter Geneal Peeples Sr., the longtime president of the Urban League of Lexington-Fayette County and a civil rights champion who transformed communities across Kentucky, died Tuesday afternoon at age 80 while at work at the organization he led for more than five decades.

Peeples died in his office after spending the day in meetings on affordable housing, a signature focus of his career. The Urban League said in a statement that Peeples "always knew he would work until his last breath."

Born in Lynch, Kentucky, in 1945, the son of a coal miner, Peeples became one of only about 50 Black undergraduates when he enrolled at the University of Kentucky. He graduated from UK in 1968, the same year the Urban League of Lexington was founded, during a wave of racial unrest across the country.

After teaching briefly, Peeples joined the newly formed Urban League as a volunteer education director. At 24, he became the youngest Urban League director in the United States when he was named executive director in 1972. Under his guidance, the Urban League made its mark with programs for clerical training, open housing, community development, training in penal institutions, and operation of a community radio station.

Peeples' impact extended far beyond workforce development. He was a founding member of the Fayette County Board of Education's Equity Council Committee, pushing for educational equity in local schools and serving as chairman for eight years.

His most visible legacy was affordable housing. Starting in 1981 with just $18,000 in seed capital to purchase four houses on Chestnut Street, Peeples and the Urban League developed more than 270 housing units worth approximately $28 million by 2018. The program combined property rehabilitation with construction job training, then sold homes to first-time buyers and reinvested profits in future projects.

Peeples also forged important connections between the Black community and University of Kentucky athletics during desegregation. Coach John Calipari posted condolences on social media, calling Peeples "my friend and mentor" and saying "his impact on people both young and old is amazing." Former UK basketball coach Tubby Smith credited Peeples with helping him feel welcomed when he became UK's first Black head coach in 1997.

"Kentucky has lost a true leader with the passing of P.G. Peeples, a civil rights champion who transformed communities across Kentucky and beyond," Gov. Andy Beshear said Wednesday. "He championed civil rights, education, affordable housing and more and made an undeniable difference in the lives of many."

Peeples is survived by his wife, Wilma, a son, daughter and two grandchildren. The family requests memorial donations be made to the Urban League of Lexington. A celebration of life is planned for a later date.