Celebrating Ed Hamilton, Who Dey Sazerac Bengals Cocktail, Objects From Louisville Wrestler Jim “Black Panther” Mitchell, and More
What do you do when you have a national treasure in your midst? And oh yeah, he happens to be the coolest of people, the most talented of sculptors, not to mention one of the nicest human beings. You celebrate him, of course, with not one, but two events!
The Frazier History Museum has partnered with Bellarmine University for two “Celebrating Ed Hamilton” events: one, “His Life,” which will take place at the Frazier Museum, March 22, from 6 to 8:30 p.m.; and a second, “His Craft,” to take place at Bellarmine, March 24, at 7 p.m.
Our event at the Frazier will be an intimate gathering of friends, family, and special guests. Andy Treinen and I will talk with Ed about growing up on Walnut Street, those who saw his talent at an early age, those who influenced him and helped him become a sculptor for the ages — and a revelation that changed his life.
Ed will be front and center along with his wife Bernadette and their daughter Kendra. Other special guests who will raise a glass to Ed include contemporaries and people he has mentored, all of whom will share stories of his impact on them, on our community, and beyond.
Tickets for the event at the Frazier are $32 for Contributor-level members and above and $38 dollars for non-members. That includes a free drink, light hors d’oeuvres, and a commemorative poster.
Migration to the West by Ed Hamilton, February 1, 2022. On display in Cool Kentucky, first floor Great Gall, Frazier History Museum.
Ed is represented in the Frazier in our Cool Kentucky exhibition, where his sculpture titled Migration to the West is on display. His parents, who had the well-known Your Valet Shop on Walnut Street, where Ed grew up, are also featured in our West of Ninth exhibition.
Bellarmine University will host “His Craft,” the second event celebrating Ed, on March 24 at 7 p.m. in Frazier Hall on Bellarmine’s campus, with the kick-off to their Veritas Lecture Series. Ed will discuss his craft and his works of famous figures, but also his other figures whose names weren’t as well known, but are now because of Ed. That lecture is free, but registration is required.
We couldn’t be more proud or excited to celebrate Ed and everything he means to us. And when I say “us,” that means the Frazier, Bellarmine, and — I think I can safely say — all of us in Louisville, the place he calls home. You can watch this video from Kentucky Tourism to learn more about Ed.
And speaking of celebrating, Bengals fans throughout our region are savoring the history being made with the Bengals in the Super Bowl this Sunday. Our president and CEO Andy Treinen, who grew up in Cincinnati, can’t stop grinning, so we asked him to write about it. Also in this edition, Black contributions to Bourbon, a Black Panther who wrestled, and the amazing story of Dr. Phil. No, not that Dr. Phil.
Rachel Platt
Director of Community Engagement
Frazier History Museum
Super Bowl
Cincinnati-native Frazier President Andy Treinen on the Bengals Making the Super Bowl
It came to me honestly!
With my hometown Cincinnati Bengals heading to the Super Bowl for the first time in my adult life, offerings of “Congratulations!” came pouring in from all around the country. I was so blown away by the number of texts I received immediately after the AFC Championship game that I counted them.
The seventy-seven texts from family, friends, and people I have worked with over the years who offered a simple “Who Dey,” “Congrats,” or “I’m happy for you” are a pretty good indication I wear my Bengals stripes on my sleeve. This may also indicate a bit of an unhealthy obsession with a team that, before this year, hadn’t won a playoff game since January 6, 1991. I may have cried a little bit and, truth be told, I’m not ashamed.
There is plenty of room on the Bengals bandwagon, so it brings me great joy to see much of the country now on board. America loves an underdog — and in Cincinnati, we built the doghouse.
Andy Treinen, center, wearing Bengals apparel, watches a game with his two brothers, 1971. Credit: Andy Treinen.
Andy, center, poses for a photograph wearing a Bengals t-shirt, c. December 1978. Credit: Andy Treinen.
Andy gets an autograph from wide receiver Tim McGee in the Bengals’ locker room at Riverfront Stadium following a home game, 1989. The Bengals had reached the Super Bowl the season prior, January 29, 1989, but lost to the San Francisco 49ers. Credit: Andy Treinen.
I’m often asked when I became a Bengals fanatic, but honestly, I don’t even remember a time when I wasn’t. These pictures of me in orange and black at three, ten, and twenty-one years old are just a selection of dozens that highlight my “Who Dey” obsession. In the last image, a former boss and friend got me into the locker room to meet some of the players. I’m getting an autograph from ex-Bengal Tim McGee, who caught two passes for twenty-three yards in Super Bowl XXIII.
I spent my early professional years as a sports reporter in my hometown covering Cincinnati sports, including the Bengals of the 1990s. Although I cherished every minute of it, the team was not good. There was ineptitude, promise, misfortune, defeat, and — consistently — heartbreak; but I never stopped loving my team.
Media pass issued to Andy for the Bengals’ September 15, 1996, home game against the New Orleans Saints at Cinergy Field, 2022. Credit: Andy Treinen.
When I reflect on “the why” for my loyalty to a team that brought so much disappointment for three decades, the answer is as clear as Joe Burrow’s talent. In the end, it’s not about the plays or even the players. For me, the Cincinnati Bengals represent a shared experience with the people I have loved all my life. Growing up, it was with aunts and uncles, my mom and dad, my two brothers, and the twenty-one cousins who shaped my character and sharpened my stick-with-it resolve. We were a west side, blue-collar Catholic family who learned many of life’s lessons through sports.
Those shared experiences continued with my best friends. There are ten of us in a group text and the alerts ring frequently enough to inspire occasional eye-rolls from our wives. We went to grade school together, we watched Super Bowl XXIII together in Bryan Humpert’s basement, and we hold our annual fantasy football draft on a houseboat trip at the end of each summer. We are blessed to have each other — in both sadness and celebration.
These days, my Bengals viewing is done most frequently with my crew: my two daughters and my wife Wendy, whose occasional Bengals gear is only a reflection of her love for me.
If she hadn’t watched me sing the sappy Bengals fight song after touchdowns for twenty years, she frankly wouldn’t care. But she has, she does, and that means the world to me. My daughters Mia and Ella are also now geared up and ready every game day to support Dad’s slight obsession with his hometown team. I love them for it and I hope, even after I’m gone, when the Bengals are playing on TV, they never feel alone.
I know — it’s kind of sappy for a former sports reporter. But when I look at “the why” of loving a franchise that began in my birth year, 1968, it really is about my fifty years of ups and downs. The word “nostalgia” comes from the Greek words home and pain. As a Bengals fan, that’s about right.
For more on what the Bengals mean to football fans in Kentucky, check out this piece from teaching artist Brian West.
Andy Treinen
President & CEO
Bengals-themed Cocktail Who Dey Sazerac
If you’re hosting a Super Bowl party, inject some Cincinnati Bengals fever into your cocktail game! There’s no better way to do that than to prepare and serve your guests a Who Dey Sazerac — a cocktail whose colors compliment your orange and black Bengals attire. It’s a Sazerac base with a Bengals twist. Enjoy!
A Who Dey Sazerac cocktail and some of the ingredients used to make it, February 6, 2022. Credit: Greg Schoenbaechler.
Ingredients
2 Luxardo cherries, muddled
1 tsp. simple syrup
4 dashes Peychaud’s bitters
1 oz. New Riff Bourbon
1 oz. Copper & Kings Brandy
1 oz. champagne or sparkling wine
3 or 4 long thin-cut orange rinds
Directions
In a mixing glass, add 1 tsp. of simple syrup, 4 dashes of Peychaud’s bitters, 1 oz. of New Riff Bourbon (sold in the Frazier's Museum Store), 1 oz. of Copper & King brandy, and 1 oz. of champagne. Stir and set aside.
Cut 3 or 4 long, thin orange rinds.
Muddle 2 Luxardo cherries in the bottom of your rocks glass. Add ice. Strain the contents of your mixing glass into your rocks glass. Throw the orange rinds into the drink for an orange and black cocktail to make Who Dey Nation proud. Enjoy the game!
Greg Schoenbaechler
Marketing Manager
As is evident across the entire region, Super Bowl fever has caught Kentucky by storm (no pun intended). This is because, after a nearly thirty-four-year drought, the Cincinnati Bengals are finally returning to the Super Bowl.
To out-of-staters, this might seem strange, as the Bengals, at first glance, are not a Kentucky team. However, if they were to travel through the state for any length of time, they would realize there lie deep ties between the Bengals and the state.
Travelers going along the Interstate here are as likely to see a Cincinnati Bengals bumper sticker on the motor vehicle of a native as they are to see a decal of a Wildcat, a Cardinal’s head, or a Hilltopper. They also might catch local commercials advertising the next Bengals home game, along with a web address for ticket information.
In fact, from 1997 to 2012, the Cincinnati Bengals held their summer training camp, just twelve miles away from Lexington at the campus of Georgetown College. And, by virtue of the team being within close proximity to major Kentucky cities such as Lexington (eighty-two miles) and Louisville (100 miles), the Bengals are the “home” team for many NFL fans here in the Commonwealth. So, for those reasons, among many others, this is a great time to be a Bengals fan in Kentucky.
Sign outside the Skyline Chili restaurant near Mid-City Mall in the Tyler Park neighborhood of Louisville suggesting Bengals fans better order soon to get ready for the big game, February 2, 2022. Credit: Brian West.
But, it must be said that the Bengals are not the home team for everyone in Kentucky. Since no NFL team is geographically located within the state, NFL fans here have many different teams to which they swear allegiance on any given Sunday. And, of course, many Kentuckians who watch the big game might not have any allegiance whatsoever to a team, or to the sport, for that matter.
In order to celebrate such differences, here are a few memories of Super Bowls past from our staff. Some are steeped in Super Bowl lore; others are as fleeting as a thirty-second commercial — but just as impactful as a game-winning score or rousing halftime show.
Brian West
Teaching Artist
We asked Frazier staff members to share their favorite memories of Super Bowls past — whether plays on the gridiron, funny commercials, halftime gimmicks, queso-spilling celebrations, or sobbing-in-the-laundry-room breakdowns. What follows is the complete collection of responses. Enjoy!
Amanda Egan on the 2015 Budweiser #BestBuds Commercial
Oh my goodness. The 2015 Budweiser commercial! #BestBuds: The Farmer’s puppy gets out of the barn and ends up getting lost…meanwhile even the Clydesdales are SAD as the farmer posts ‘LOST DOG’ posters. *Cue tears.* The puppy tries to find their way home, a few scenes cut quickly through the puppy’s journey, inserting rain, dirt, and the puppy’s morale steadily declining. Now, it’s still pitch black but almost dawn — so close! The puppy can see the barn at the bottom of the hill, but a wolf is about to attack the puppy right before they can make their big Homeward Bound moment. *Cue steady stream of tears.* The horses escape the barn as they see what is about to unfold on the top of the hill. As one big team, they march themselves up the hill, the puppy is barking (a lion cub, Simba-sized bark) BUT the wolf gets scared off (after all the horses rear up in deviance)! *Cue silent happy sobs.* The horses and the puppy have a reuniting moment up on the hill. The farmer looks out the window as he sips his morning coffee, the sun is coming up over the hill — you can read his mind as he is taken aback. “Wait, why are all the horses out . . . why are they running full steam down the hill?” He takes a closer look — like Rudolph on Christmas, that strong and mighty puppy is leading the horses’ charge, barking to get the farmer’s attention. *Cue verbal and slightly gross stream of sobs and snot.* EVERYONE IS BACK TOGETHER AND SMILING AND LAUGHING, AND THE HASHTAG #BestBuds comes up on the screen…The power of 30 seconds is FREAKING incredible if you do it right…and Budweiser’s marketing team is ALWAYS spot on! — Amanda Egan, Membership & Database Administrator
Heidi Janes on the 2006 Steelers Title
For me it's Super Bowl XL, 2006. I grew up watching Steelers football with my Dad. Learning football from him via the Steelers games. This was the first real decent team we had in my lifetime, so the Smith family went all out for that Super Bowl. We always had “parties,” i.e., literally our family just eating food, getting to eat in the living room around the TV! We also always do ice cream Sundae bars at halftime. (If you ask my dad this question, his worse Super Bowl was when he was in the kitchen scooping ice cream during the Janet Jackson halftime show . . . if you know, you know.) But in 2006, with the Steelers, it was different. We still had our food, still had our Sundaes, but just the emotion in that house. The tension in that house the whole game. I'm a very competitive person. And I'm a very get down, do-what-must-be-done person. So, I love me a good defense and some good trick plays. And that's how we won that game. When our wide receiver Antwaan Randle El threw that ball for a touchdown, oh you had to be there people. I also remember attending school the next day rocking my jersey and a bunch of boys were saying, “I bet she doesn't even know the score . . .” I turned around and schooled them. My love for football just sort of all came together that year, and I haven't looked back. — Heidi Janes, Manager of Visitor Services
Casey Harden and Mick Sullivan on the 1989 3D Glasses
Bengals AFC Conference Champions and Super Bowl LVI Shirts on sale at the Mejier’s Store at Preston Highway, Okolona, Kentucky, February 3, 2022. This is only the third time in franchise history the Bengals have reached the Super Bowl. Their only other appearances were in Super Bowl XVI in 1982 and Super Bowl XXIII in 1989. Credit: Brian West.
My memory is from Super Bowl XXIII, when Coke produced 3D glasses. My six-year-old mind thought it was for a commercial, but it was for the halftime show. I just remember the glasses not working and I was really disappointed. I’m concerned now my parents lied to me and told me it was for a commercial so I wouldn’t stay up late to watch the halftime show. Anyone else remember that?? Did those glasses actually work? — Casey Harden, Director of Exhibit Ideation
I have a fond memory of the 1989 Super Bowl. I was seven, and it was exciting to me because it was promoted that the halftime show would be in 3D. My dad took me to a convenience store (I think it was an actual Convenient Store) to get the necessary glasses, which I took to a gathering at my grandparents' house. I didn't care about the game but was eager for the show which was called “Be Bop Bamboozled” and performed by an Elvis impersonator who did not sing any actual Elvis songs. Halftime shows have come a long way since then. — Mick Sullivan, Curator of Guest Experience
Casey: So, I was lied to. I can’t wrap my brain around the fact that I missed this incredible show. I just don’t even know what to say. BTW, I called my mom and she has no recollection of this.
Mick: The window is passed and it was always a longshot anyway, but I always felt that, if given the chance, the Flaming Lips would put on the greatest Super Bowl Halftime show imaginable. It would be bonkers. They might even make 3D totally work.
Casey: I feel like I’m owed that.
Mick: Well, if it’s of any consolation.
Casey: I don’t have the words to describe what I just watched.
Editor’s note: Coincidentally, the Super Bowl at which that 3D show took place was the last time the Bengals had reached the Super Bowl before this year.
Hayley Rankin on the 2009 Doritos and Bridgestone Ads
As someone who couldn’t exactly be described as a sports enthusiast over the years (shocking, I know), I will share the first moment I remember actually comprehending what was going on in a game of football. It was 2009 and the Steelers were playing the Arizona Cardinals. I knew about the Steelers because my cousin was a fan, but wasn’t too sure about the Cardinals, a distant stranger to me. For some reason, I was home alone as a middle schooler, almost thirteen years old, watching the Super Bowl by myself in an attempt to see what this world of sports was all about. As I watched the two teams run across the field, my knowledge of football expanded from “the quarterback throws the ball” to the concept of yard lines and downs. Super Bowl XLIII definitely set the foundation for my (still-growing) understanding of football . . . Aside from the game itself, I remember thinking two specific commercials were particularly hilarious. One was the Doritos commercial set in an office breakroom where one guy throws a crystal ball at the Doritos vending machine and absolutely shatters the glass front. Doritos were certainly in their future. The other, which I believe aired during this same Super Bowl, was the Bridgestone tires commercial where two guys are speeding down the road towards a boat dock and drift at the last second so a giant whale can fly out the back and return to its home in the water. To this day I always think of those commercials as my favorites. — Hayley Rankin, Manager of Collection Impact
Greg Schoenbaechler on the 2002 Clydesdales Kneeling
For me, my best memory was in 2007 when Devin Hester returned the first ever opening kickoff for touchdown [in a Super Bowl] and the Bears (my team) were severely pummeled by the Colts and the entire NFL ever since. All downhill after that . . . If we’re talking commercials, I have two. For funny, nothing beats the Budweiser frogs, lizards, and ferret. For sentimental, the 2002 Super Bowl where the Budweiser Clydesdales kneel before the New York City skyline no longer containing the World Trade Centers. Cue the waterworks. — Greg Schoenbaechler, Marketing Manager
Tyler Horne on the 2007 Devin Hester Kick Return
My favorite memory from the Super Bowl is when my team, the Chicago Bears, played the Indianapolis Colts in Super Bowl XLI! The Bears ended up losing, but there have been few times in sports that I have been as excited as when Devin Hester returned the first kickoff of the game for a touchdown. My family was cheering and losing our minds out of excitement, and I'm pretty sure I knocked over a bowl of queso in my celebration. I’ll never forget it. — Tyler Horne, Curatorial Assistant
Brian West on the 1986 Laundry Room Sobbing Incident
I have more Super Bowl memories than I can shake a Dorito at. My earliest memories are of watching the Bears kick butt in Super Bowl XX in 1986. I think the first Super Bowl I watched from kickoff to final whistle was the last one the Bengals were in before now, Super Bowl XXIII. I was only ten years old at the time, and didn’t care who won, until my sister’s boyfriend — whose name was coincidentally O.J. Simpson (no relation to the former running back and NFL Hall of Famer) — went with the Niners. So as an impressionable boy, I went with the team my sister’s boyfriend wasn’t cheering for, the Bengals. The Bengals fought tooth and nail. I remember defensive tackle Tim Krumrie broke his leg and that seemed to turn things the Niners’ way. Niners quarterback Joe Montana went ninety-one yards down the field and threw the game-winning touchdown to John Taylor in the closing seconds of the game. As soon as that happened, I ran out of the living room, ran down the hallway to the laundry room, where I crashed my head down onto the washing machine sobbing. My sister’s boyfriend’s team had won the Super Bowl! Now, my sister is happily married to her college sweetheart (he is not named O.J. Simpson), and she has two grown children and three grandchildren. Meanwhile, I will eagerly watch the Bengals take on the Los Angeles Rams this Sunday. Though I don’t have a rooting interest in this matchup (mine got eliminated this year by the Bengals in the Wildcard Round), I think the Bengals are due. Plus, like sports reporter Bob Kravitz mentioned, they are the younger team. So, don’t take my word for it, or place any wagers upon this prediction, but I think the Bengals win by five. — Brian West, Teaching Artist
Thanks to all of the staff who shared their favorite Super Bowl moments here. — Simon Meiners, Communications & Research Specialist
This Week in the Museum
Curator’s Corner: Black Americans’ Contributions to Bourbon
I was recently brought onto the Frazier Museum as a collections and exhibits intern to work on a project in the Spirit of Kentucky® exhibition. As part of the exhibition, which explores the history, craft, and culture of Bourbon in Kentucky, we have an interactive resource called the Gracious Table. The table features several touchscreen monitors that allow you to explore historic distillers, learn about your favorite Bourbons, get recipes for cocktails, and do much more. Part of my job is to ensure the information is up to date and that the table includes the newest distilleries.
For Black History Month, I want to highlight a few of the African Americans that contribute heavily to one of Kentucky’s identifying marks, Bourbon.
Detail of photograph of Nearest Green’s son George Green, wearing a tilted hat, seated to the right of Jack Daniel, wearing a white hat, at Daniel’s distillery in Lynchburg, Tennessee, c. 1904. Credit: Jack Daniel’s Distillery.
Throughout Kentucky’s history, African Americans have played a vital role in distilling. Before the Civil War, the enslaved contributed directly and indirectly to distilling, whether it was harvesting corn and wheat that were used to make whiskey or operating the still itself. Most of the enslaved often go uncredited for their contributions. The exception is Nathan “Nearest” Green, the enslaved man who taught Jack Daniel the art of distilling.
Buffalo Trace distillery VIP visitor lead Freddie Johnson. Credit: Kentucky Tourism.
Today, Kentucky is blessed with talented African American men and women that have made an impact on the Bourbon industry. Any Bourbon enthusiast has undoubtedly heard the name Freddie Johnson. As a third-generation employee at Buffalo Trace, Freddie is the distillery VIP visitor lead. Anyone fortunate enough to have Freddie lead their distillery tour will hear his nearly seventy-year personal history with Buffalo Trace. He also has his own root beer brand, aptly named, Freddie’s Root Beer. And I must say, it makes a wonderful root beer float.
From left, Christian, Victor, and Bryson Yarbrough. Credit: Brough Brothers Bourbon.
In the United States, there are fewer than fifty Black-owned distilleries — one of which is in Kentucky. Brothers Victor, Bryson, and Chris Yarbrough opened Brough Brothers Bourbon, becoming the first African American-owned distillery in Kentucky. Golden honey in color, their Bourbon has a medium body flavor, featuring fruity notes of green apple and pear with a subtle hint of ginger and nutmeg. As a Bourbon enthusiast, I always have Brough Brothers Bourbon on my bar.
Bottle of The IX Bourbon. Credit: James Penny.
2 Cents Inc. president Brittany Penny and vice president James Penny. Credit: 2 Cents Inc.
Husband and wife team James and Brittany Penny are paying homage to the nine historically Black fraternities and sororities, also called The Divine Nine. Their Louisville-based company, 2 Cents Inc., created a Bourbon called The IX Bourbon Whiskey. The Bourbon has a sweet flavor with a buttery caramel smell, with slight hints of chocolate and spice. And at 95-proof, it has a smooth taste. As of now, only 1,200 bottles have been made; but I hope they make more based on the demand.
For far too long, African American contributions to the Bourbon industry have gone uncredited. Many industry experts and academics are conducting research to give the nameless a voice. Freddie Johnson, the Yarbrough brothers, and James and Brittany Penny have earned their place in Kentucky’s Bourbon industry.
As part of Louisville Tourism’s Unfiltered Truth Collection, Frazier Museum teaching artist Brian West is giving a free experience during February and March: Black Americans in Bourbon. Learn the incredible stories of African Americans employed in the Bourbon industry throughout history. Tours run on Saturdays at 3:30 p.m. and must be booked 24 hours in advance. For more information or to book your tour, click here.
Kevin Bradley
Collections & Exhibits Intern
Objects From Louisville Wrestler Jim “Black Panther” Mitchell, c. 1930 – ̓50s
When we hear the name “Black Panther,” most of us likely think of the political activist group or the Marvel Superhero we’ve seen flash across both page and screen. But there’s another figure who was known by this name here in Louisville and abroad. His name was Jim Mitchell, and he was the original Black Panther.
A young Jim Mitchell, c. 1930. Credit: Frazier History Museum Collections Department.
Jim Mitchell (1908 – 96) grew up in Louisville, Kentucky, and stepped into what would become an internationally successful wrestling career at a young age. He began training with Louisville wrestler Jack Reynolds in the late 1920s and became a regular wrestler in opening matches for local venues like the Savoy Theater, home of the historic Allen Athletic Club. From there, Mitchell wrestled in cities such as Indianapolis and Toledo, rising through the ranks of the Midwest to wrestling rings of Boston and Southern California.
Jim Mitchell rubber toy figurine, 1941. Credit: Frazier History Museum Collections Department.
Jim Mitchell travel case, c. 1940s. Credit: Frazier History Museum Collections Department.
The Frazier Museum’s permanent collection contains several artifacts that belonged to Jim Mitchell as well as an archive of pamphlets, books, and memorabilia from his forty-year wrestling career. This Jim Mitchell toy figurine depicts a cartoonish version of the Black Panther wrestling himself into a tangle while his travel case reflects the years he spent traveling around the world to places such as Italy, Greece, and Australia for matches.
Head shot of Jim Mitchell with “Black Panther” autographed, undated. Credit: Frazier History Museum Collections Department.
Boots worn by Jim Mitchell, undated. Credit: Frazier History Museum Collections Department.
From the mid-1930s until his return to Louisville in 1954, Mitchell’s career skyrocketed. He gained immense popularity, becoming one of the first African Americans to wrestle in what was considered the “big league.” While he experienced the unjust barriers of segregation as a Black wrestler, he became so successful in matches against other minorities that he achieved matches against the top white stars of the day. When Mitchell fought Martino Angelo, a notorious heel, in Ohio for a crowd full of Klan members, the spectators were so set against Angelo that they cheered fervently for Mitchell. While promoters could cast heroes and villains to turn any crowd, it did not become safe for Black wrestlers to fight as the heel, or villain, until the 1960s.
Jim Mitchell’s recognition and achievements during the span of his career are significant, especially considering they occurred prior to the civil rights movement and included a short break to serve in World War II.
Pamphlet from the 10th Aviation Squadron during WWII, dated March 24, 1943. In the early 1940s, Mitchell resided in Florence, South Carolina, where he served as a physical education instructor for this squadron, to whom he also taught hand-to-hand combat. Credit: Frazier History Museum Collection.
We are fortunate to have the ability to preserve so many artifacts and so much knowledge about Jim Mitchell’s story to honor both his legacy and the impact he made on people everywhere he went, from wrestling fans and opponents to soldiers and future African American professional athletes.
For more in-depth and detailed stories about Jim Mitchell’s life and the history of pro wrestling in Louisville during the twentieth century, check out the collection of books by John Cosper that include Louisville’s Greatest Show: The Story of the Allen Athletic Club, Bluegrass Brawlers: The Story of Professional Wrestling in Louisville, and The Original Black Panther: The Life and Legacy of Jim Mitchell.
Hayley Rankin
Manager of Collection Impact
Frazier’s Collaboration With U of L’s Digital Humanities Class
Since 2019, I’ve had the pleasure of working with the University of Louisville’s Humanities Department. It’s always wonderful to get to work with college-age students and help them engage with the Frazier’s exhibits on a deep level. We’ve partnered on several great Frazier exhibits, including What is a Vote Worth? Suffrage Then and Now, Celebrating the Sounds of Kentucky, and now, West of Ninth: Race, Reckoning, and Reconciliation.
Last semester, students in Dr. Mary P. Sheridan’s Digital Humanities class examined a key question related to West of Ninth: How does where you live affect how you live? The students approached this question broadly and from multiple angles. And, thanks to the digital nature of their work, we can now share it with you!
Here is a selection of projects:
This digital magazine, Louisville Through a Lens, which examines the Ninth Street divide and how it affects accessibility in the area
This exploration of Muhammad Ali’s Louisville
This examination of student mental health through the lens of the TV show Sherlock
Many thanks to the University of Louisville, Dr. Sheridan, and the students who shared their work! We welcome these opportunities, so local teachers and professors, feel free to reach out to education@fraziermuseum.org whenever you have ideas like this. And if you’re interested in learning more about West of Ninth, come visit the Frazier for a tour. They run daily at 1 p.m. and participation will get you $5 off a West of Ninth t-shirt!
Heather Gotlib
Manager of Youth & Family Programs
Notable Kentuckians: Honorable Judge Benjamin F. Shobe
With our exhibition “West of Ninth: Race, Reckoning, and Reconciliation,” we hope to shine a light on those who’ve broken barriers and fought for change. We also want to highlight the historic roots of Louisville’s Ninth Street divide, delving into issues of race, segregation, and redlining in the city. For our newsletter, we’ve partnered with Cave Hill Cemetery to bring you stories of notable Kentuckians buried at Cave Hill who deserve our attention. The information in this article was provided by the family of Benjamin F. Shobe and the Kentucky Commission on Human Rights. — Rachel Platt, Director of Community Engagement
As one of the most highly respected jurists in Kentucky, Benjamin Shobe (1920 – 2016) crafted a legacy for many of us to strive toward in our own lives. His level of compassion, honesty, integrity, and love for his family and God truly shaped him.
Judge Benjamin F. Shobe, undated. Credit: Kentucky Commission on Human Rights.
Born in Bowling Green, Kentucky, Shobe had parents who were educators. His academic excellence shined through his collegiate days at Kentucky State College (now Kentucky State University), where he was impassioned to study law. At that time, however, in Kentucky, African Americans were not afforded the opportunity to attend graduate or professional state-level schools. But, due to the Anderson-Mayer Bill, the University of Kentucky did pay for Shobe’s higher education at the University of Michigan Law School.
In 1949, along with Thurgood Marshall, James Nabritt, and James Crumlin, Shobe fought against the law in Kentucky that forced him to go out of state for graduate education in the case of Lyman T. Johnson v. University of Kentucky. Successfully overturning the law with the case, he created unending possibilities for minorities to attend state graduate and professional schools.
In 1951, Shobe also represented the plaintiffs in Sweeney v. City of Louisville, which essentially desegregated Louisville’s public parks. Among many other accomplishments in his career, Shobe was noted as the first African American to be appointed as a judge in Kentucky since Reconstruction, and the first African American to be appointed as Chief Judge of the 15th Division of the Jefferson Circuit Court.
Bejamin F. Shobe is buried in Section U of Cave Hill Cemetery.
Michael Higgs
Manager, Cave Hill Heritage Foundation
Guest Contributor
Museum Store: New Kentucky Bourbon Trail® Maps and Field Guides
Detail of the new Kentucky Bourbon Trail® map, February 2, 2022. Maps are available free of charge in the Frazier’s Kentucky Bourbon Trail® Welcome Center. Credit: Frazier History Museum.
The new maps are here! We have the updated Kentucky Bourbon Trail® maps and field guides available at the Kentucky Bourbon Trail® Welcome Center. The maps are free and the field guides are $10 plus tax. The field guides include both passports for the Kentucky Bourbon Trail® and Kentucky Bourbon Trail Craft Tour® as well as a huge collection of information on the distilleries, cocktail recipes, tasting notes, and tips. As the official starting point of the Kentucky Bourbon Trail®, our goal is to make your KBT experience a great one. So, if you have questions, come in and ask our informative staff or call us at (502) 753-1699. It starts here!
Bridging the Divide
Dr. Phillip Williams on West End Family Dental Clinic
Dr. Phillip Williams always knew he wanted to be a dentist. Early childhood experiences would help shape that calling — a calling for which a higher power had sent him here, he says.
Dr. Phillip Williams at West End Family Dental Clinic, 2019. Credit: Walt and Shae Smith.
As a young child, he only had a wash rag to clean his teeth. He didn’t get a toothbrush until the first grade — and by that point, his baby teeth had already rotted out.
Over time, the calling only grew stronger.
He attended the University of Louisville’s Dental School, being one of only a handful of African American students enrolled in the school at the time, and graduated in 1977.
The location he set up his practice in Louisville’s Russell neighborhood is no accident, either. Having had a mother who taught him to be self-sufficient, he says, he always knew he would return to his “roots” and set up a practice to treat people the right way.
His encounters at a dental clinic as a child left him feeling less-than. As a result, he vowed he would treat his own patients differently.
Dr. Williams has been treating patients for forty-six years at his West End Family Dental Clinic.
His story is featured in our West of Ninth: Race, Reckoning, and Reconciliation exhibition. He is one of the many residents Walt and Shae Smith have interviewed for their West of Ninth blog.
Dr. Williams with his wife Shawn at the opening of West of Ninth: Race, Reckoning, and Reconciliation at the Frazier, September 18, 2021. Credit: Frazier History Museum.
West of Ninth t-shirt sold in the Frazier’s Museum Store, 2021. Credit: Frazier History Museum.
Dr. Williams and his wife attended the exhibition opening September 18, 2021. When I spoke with him that night, I told him I would be following up with an interview to talk about his powerful story.
So if you want to hear a story of passion, and being who you were sent here to be, take a few minutes to be inspired by Dr. Williams.
And during the month of February, take one of our West of Ninth guided tours, offered daily at 1 p.m., and receive $5 off a West of Ninth t-shirt sold in our museum store.
Rachel Platt
Director of Community Engagement
