Niel Plummer directed journalism education at the University of Kentucky from 1940 to 1965. He joined UK as part-time journalism instructor in 1929 and became a full faculty member a year later. Plummer received a Master of Arts from UK in 1932 and a Ph.D. in 1940 from University of Wisconsin. Plummer was named to a full professorship and made head of the journalism department in 1940, having previously served as acting director. He is largely responsible for completion of a new journalism building, financed by profits from operations of the Kernel Press in 1951. He held authority on etymology and law of the press. Plummer was a reporter, state editor and city editor of the Lexington Herald; he also worked for International News Service. He directed student publications and managed printing operations at UK. Plummer received Kentucky Press Association’s first President’s Cup for outstanding service in 1959. He is a contributing author of two books.