Inspired by the collection of poems Load in Nine Times – especially the poem “Catch Me If You Can” – by Frank X Walker, this is a special tour of our exhibit The Commonwealth: Divided We Fall. Teaching artist Brian West will guide guests through portions of the Commonwealth that document the experience of Black Kentuckians – both free and enslaved – before, during and after the Civil War. He also will read aloud some of the poems written by Walker for the exhibit itself.

Join us for a special Juneteenth commemoration with poet Frank X Walker as he debuts a collection of poems centered on African Americans in Kentucky during the Civil War.

Eighteen of those works will be unveiled as part of our Commonwealth exhibition at the Frazier History Museum.

Walker will talk about photos and archival documents that provided inspiration for the overall collection, which began with Reckoning, Inc. He will also perform some of his poetry.

Walker, a native of Danville, was the first African American writer to be named Kentucky Poet Laureate.

Guests will include Dan Gediman, Executive Director of Reckoning, Inc., historian Robert Bell and poet Hannah Drake, who will provide a special introduction.