Good Monday morning,

By now, many of you have probably discovered that your (free) subscription to Frazier Weekly provides more than just incredible content about our Commonwealth. Your Monday morning email also opens up access and early opportunity to events, partner programs, and book signings. It’s often a first-in for some of the coolest experiences in Kentucky.

With that, I’m excited to share with you a new event here at the Frazier that will ring a bell for many of our long-time supporters: the Speakeasy Series is back!

Once again, the Frazier is going back to the Roaring Twenties—when all the best parties in town were underground. The Michter’s Speakeasy at the Frazier on Thursday, June 23, will open up the museum for tastings, a complimentary featured cocktail, great grub, and toe-tapping Bourbon jazz tunes from Billy Goat Strut Revue. Just click the link to secure your tickets. As always, our Contributor-level members get them at a discount.

In today’s issue of Frazier Weekly, you’ll also meet the Frazier member who won a free seventy-inch TV in our recent Membership Madness campaign. Louisville author Emily Bingham kicks off our Summer Book Club for Frazier members, Hayley Rankin teases some artifacts to be displayed in The Commonwealth: Divided We Fall, Steve Rockhold recaps a Kentucky Derby Festival event at the Frazier, and Rachel Platt marks the seventy-fifth anniversary of Jackie Robinson’s 1947 debut with the Brooklyn Dodgers.

Then, just in time for the boom, Brian West introduces us to the show tech director for this year’s Thunder Over Louisville. By the way, the Frazier will be closed to the public on Saturday, April 23, for Thunder.

Enjoy the show, and we’ll see you back here on Sunday!

This Week in the Museum

Countdown to The Commonwealth: Surveying Kit, Tools, and Circumferentor, c. 1800

Logo for The Commonwealth: Divided We Fall. Credit: Frazier History Museum.

Each week leading up to the opening of the Frazier History Museum’s next permanent exhibition “The Commonwealth: Divided We Fall,” manager of collection impact Hayley Rankin will highlight an object or objects to be included in the exhibition.

Opening with a private reception May 19 and to the public June 1, 2022, “The Commonwealth: Divided We Fall” will tell the story of Kentucky’s rich history, including, among other topics, its native peoples, the Civil War, and the early nineteenth century, when cities such as Louisville gained prominence due to their important locations along the Ohio River. It will expand viewers’ personal connection to history by pairing historic figures like Henry Clay, emancipationist Cassius Clay, and Abraham Lincoln with diverse narratives from lesser-known figures in Kentucky history.

In partnership with artist Ché Rhodes and the (Un)Known Project, led by artist-run nonprofit IDEAS xLab, the exhibition will include a space for visitors to reflect on the stories, both known and unknown, of the enslaved that lived in Kentucky. This interactive exhibition is designed to engage visitors of all ages and will feature objects related to Kentucky’s diverse history as a border state on the banks of the Ohio, including the clock face from the top of the Town Clock Church in New Albany, Indiana, an important stop on the Underground Railroad, and the Bloedner Monument, the oldest surviving memorial to the Civil War.

“The Commonwealth: Divided We Fall” has been made possible in part by a major grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities.—Amanda Briede, Curator

Surveying kit, c. 1800. Credit: Frazier History Museum.

Next on our countdown to the opening of The Commonwealth: Divided We Fall is a surveying kit used in the early 1800s, but that likely dates to the late 1700s as it features an iron surveyor’s chain characteristic of earlier surveying kits. This kit contains a pole, nine wooden stakes, an iron chain, and a variety of surveyor’s tools such as a brass compass, a protractor, and calipers.

Surveyor’s tools, c. 1800. Credit: Frazier History Museum.

A circumferentor, or surveyor’s compass, used to measure horizontal angles and bearings, c. 1800. Credit: Frazier History Museum.

Many of the first settlers in Kentucky such as Daniel Boone and Thomas Bullitt surveyed, or measured, plots of land to produce essential knowledge of the terrain and create accurate maps. Surveying was also important to establish boundary lines and ownership. Following the Revolutionary War, land grants brought many veterans like Major William Croghan and General George Rogers Clark to Kentucky who furthered surveying efforts and became founding residents as Kentucky entered statehood.

Land surveying has remained a practice throughout human history and continues today. While technological advancements have improved equipment, the basic principles remain the same. Visit The Commonwealth when it opens to the public to learn more about surveying in Kentucky during the frontier period.

Announcing the May 22 Reading, Q & A, and Book Signing With My Old Kentucky Home Author Emily Bingham

Singing the state song “My Old Kentucky Home” before the big race on Kentucky Derby Day has been a tradition dating back by some accounts to 1921. But in recent years, the song has been performed rather than sung, perhaps due to its complicated history. Originally titled “Poor Uncle Tom, Good-Night,” the song was written in the 1850s by Stephen Foster, a white man, about a Black man being sold downriver.

In a new book to be released May 3, just days before Kentucky Derby 148, author Emily Bingham explores the song’s history. On May 22, Bingham will be at the Frazier to read, answer questions, and sign copies of her book, which is titled My Old Kentucky Home: The Astonishing Life and Reckoning of an Iconic American Song.

The event is free and open to the public.

Keep reading to learn more about the event and how you can attend. The book will also be the inaugural selection in the Frazier’s Summer Book Club, which is only open to museum members.

Sunday, May 22, 2022
2:00–3:30 p.m.

Public Event With Reading and Q & A, 2 p.m. (Free and Open to Public, Second Floor Classroom)
Book Signing in Museum Store, 2:45 p.m. (Free and Open to Public)

Click here to reserve your spot for the reading, Q & A, and signing.

Copies of Bingham’s book will be on sale at the Frazier’s Museum Store.

Frazier Museum Launches Member-exclusive Summer Book Club

Get your reading glasses on and prepare to dive into some great literature!

It’s time to announce yet another new member-exclusive program: Summer Book Club!

We will meet May through August, each month focusing on one book. Members are free to join any or all of the monthly meetings! (The more you attend, the more chances you have at earning a door prize at the end of the program.)

As the Frazier is the place where the world meets Kentucky, all books titles will feature Kentucky themes, locations, or people, or the author will originate from or have ties to Kentucky.

Each meeting will be paired with an additional experience to compliment the book chosen. RSVP information and the complimenting experiences will be announced along with the next month’s title.

For our inaugural meeting in May, we will be reading a NEW RELEASE! The book is My Old Kentucky Home: The Astonishing Life and Reckoning of an Iconic American Song by Emily Bingham.

ALL members are welcome to participate in this program.

Book Club Member Perks for our May Title:

Early access to purchase the book.*
Book available at a special discounted price.
Members and (1) guest may be included in your RSVP.
Casual visit to a portion of our meeting by the author.
Reserved priority seating to the reading and Q & A following our meeting.
Be one of the first in line to get your copy signed by the author following the Q & A.
Advance notice of our June title announcement.
A door prize entry (to be pulled at the end of the Summer Book Club program).

*Access given once we receive your RSVP. Limit of 2 books sold per account before May 22.

Details You Need to Know:

Limited seating available, so RSVP early!
RSVP to aegan@fraziermuseum.org by May 10.
Our kick-off meeting will take place on Sunday, May 22, at 1 p.m.
Your RSVP to the Summer Book Club will serve as an RSVP to the reading and Q & A.
Click here to find more details about the book, public reading, and Q & A program.

Help us curate your Summer Book Club experience!

Please take our survey to give us an idea of what excites you and what you look forward to. Our upcoming titles will be based off of your input!

Find more information about our Summer Book Club here.

Want to join our book club but not a member? Become a member today! As little as $20 will allow you access to our Summer Book Club and other member-exclusive events throughout the year!* Did I mention that for the $20 Individual membership you would also get year-round access to the museum, a 10% discount in the museum store**, and discounted parking!?

*Not all member-exclusive invitations apply to the Individual and Family membership levels.

**Exclusions apply.

Come experience more!

Mandie Creed on Directing Thunder Over Louisville

Due to the pandemic, there has not been a full-fledged production of Thunder Over Louisville since 2019. In 2020, the show was postponed, then cancelled. In 2021, due to safety concerns, organizers staged the air show citywide; the grand finale, the fireworks show, took place at three self-contained locations, away from Waterfront Park.

F-16s from the Ohio National Guard open 2019’s Thunder Over Louisville,” the last time Thunder took place over the waterfront, April 13, 2019. After a three-year hiatus, Thunder returns to the waterfront this year. The theme for this year’s show is “The Legend Returns.” Credit: David R. Lutman, *Courier Journal*.

For that entire time, Kentuckiana has waited patiently to gather again safely along the waterfront to start a new Derby season with music, food, an air show, and a bridge full of fireworks. Perhaps no one has waited with more anticipation than Thunder Over Louisville director Mandie Creed.

Though her official title is show tech director, Mandie is in reality the director of the entire show: From sound design to music, fireworks displays, and communications, Mandie is the one who coordinates all the disparate elements into one seamless, day-long production. In 2015, Mandie took over for the previous director: her father, Tim Creed, who co-founded Thunder Over Louisville. For as long as she could remember, Mandie had always wanted to run Thunder Over Louisville. She also happens to be the audio-video engineer of KentuckyShow! at the Frazier.

Thousands crowd the shoreline in Jeffersonville and Clarksville to watch the fireworks during Thunder Over Louisville, April 13, 2019. Credit: Matt Stone, *Courier Journal*.

Recently, I had the chance to catch up with Mandie. We talked about her experiences growing up with Thunder, her expertise in the field of engineering, and her enthusiasm for seeing the legend return to the waterfront this Saturday.

Museum Store: Jockey Socks for Derby Season

Jockey-patterned socks sold in the Frazier’s Museum Store. Credit: Frazier History Museum.

The horses aren’t the only thing to watch at the track Derby Day: Racegoers’ sartorial choices are equally entertaining. We have footwear fit for the track. You may lose a bet, but won’t lose your footing with these colorful socks depicting jockey silks on a navy background! Available for purchase in the Frazier’s Museum Store.

Tiny Tours & Tastings a Great Option When Distilleries are Booked

As the official starting point of the Kentucky Bourbon Trail®, the Frazier History Museum shares stories of the people, places, and producers of the Kentucky Bourbon industry. To learn more, visit our Kentucky Bourbon Trail® Welcome Center or tour our Spirit of Kentucky® exhibition.—Simon Meiners, Communications & Research Specialist

Stephen Yates leads a tasting in the Speakeasy in the *Spirit of Kentucky®* Bourbon exhibition at the Frazier, April 16, 2022. Credit: Frazier History Museum.

As the calendar has turned to spring and Derby Fever is in the air, travelers are starting to flock to Kentucky to experience the Kentucky Bourbon industry firsthand. This presents some ongoing challenges for Kentucky distilleries, as they are still not operating at 100 percent capacity, which can leave Bourbon enthusiasts traveling to Kentucky frustrated and looking for other options.

The Frazier is here to offer a fantastic solution to folks who want to take in the incredible history of Bourbon in the Commonwealth and who may want to experience a Bourbon tasting in the Frazier’s spectacular Speakeasy. Called Tiny Tours and Tastings, this unique offering allows groups with a minimum of eight folks to get a discounted admission into the museum, schedule a guided tour of the Spirit of Kentucky® Bourbon exhibition, and experience a Bourbon tasting in our Speakeasy for as little as $25 per person. Led by yours truly, this is a very intimate and personalized experience that can serve as either a springboard to a larger Kentucky Bourbon Trail® experience or an alternative experience for Bourbon enthusiasts who couldn’t book a tour and tasting at a local distillery.

For additional information or to book an experience, please contact me at 502-753-5666 or syates@fraziermuseum.org.

Cheers!

Vintage Rifle Whiskey Decanter Added to Spirit of Kentucky® Exhibition

For those of you who enjoy our Spirit of Kentucky® exhibition, you may have noticed in recent weeks a new addition of a small collection of whiskey decanters now on display. The collection consists mostly of Jim Beam decanters, with one from Old Fitzgerald and another from Davis Distilling Co. hanging over the fireplace.

That's right: The long gun mounted above the fireplace is actually a whiskey decanter!

While storing whiskey in glass decanters was very popular prior to the twentieth century, it is the rise of the collectable ceramic decanters from the mid-twentieth century that accounts for the decanters the Frazier has obtained. After Prohibition, decanters didn’t really become popular until the 1950s, when they often came in the form of figural glass flasks. But it was the 1960s that ushered in the era of the collectable figure ceramic decanter. And leading the way was Jim Beam, who marketed specialty decanters in various shapes, themes, and designs, from the 1960s to the 1970s. It didn’t take long for other companies to start to do the same.

Now on display in The Spirit of Kentucky® is a collection of these decanters on loan from Louisville residents Mike and Dawn Ansert. Dawn is the granddaughter of Jack Fogerty of Iowa. Born in the early 1900s, Jack grew up during Prohibition and was the oldest of seven children. Like so many other families, the Fogertys fell on hard times, and moved from farm to farm working as sharecroppers.

During this time, to supplement the household income, the family turned to bootlegging whiskey. To expand their market, they sold their whiskey to a local supplier who shipped it to larger cities in the Chicagoland area. This operation was worked by the whole family, including the youngest child, Donna, who was only three at the time and was warned to never speak of what the family was doing for fear of going to jail.

This collection of ceramic decanters was of course collected long after the harrowing bootlegging days of Jack Fogerty’s youth. But they were part of a personal collection that became of interest to Dawn, who as a child lived next door to her grandfather. Growing up, she heard the stories of Jack and his family and imagined what it must have been like to live at that time.

For more on the rifle decanter—which, when we opened it, still had Bourbon inside!—check out WDRB anchor Candyce Clifft’s interview with Frazier president Andy Treinen.

Come down to the Frazier to see this fun collection today.

Sources

Veach, Michael. “Decanters: Selling and Collecting.” Bourbonveach.com. July 17, 2017.
Shared history provided by Dawn Ansert. January 28, 2022.

Kentucky Derby Festival’s BourbonVille at the Frazier a Big Splash

Last Thursday, April 14, was a special night at the Frazier History Museum! Spirits were high . . . and there was a beautiful caramel color as we hosted nearly 700 patrons for the annual Republic Bank Kentucky Derby Festival BourbonVille event, kicking off our Derby season with a delicious bang. Over a dozen distilleries from throughout the Commonwealth were represented as guests were treated to Bourbon tastings from heritage brands like Evan Williams and more recent brands like Brough Brothers.

Along with tastings, the festivities included wonderful food, a silent auction, and a quiet respite for cigar lovers out on Main Street in the Smokeasy Mobile Lounge, not to mention complete access to all three floors of museum exhibitions and galleries. As the evening closed, guests treated themselves to a bottle of their new favorite Bourbon from the Frazier Museum Store’s selection of over ninety bottles, along with an assortment of Derby-centric merchandise.

Our heartfelt thanks to the many guests, vendors, sponsors, and of course the Kentucky Derby Festival for choosing the Frazier to host such a fantastic evening!

Bridging the Divide

Frazier Marks Seventy-fifth Anniversary of Jackie Robinson’s 1947 Debut

On April 15, 1947, Jackie Robinson made his debut with the Brooklyn Dodgers—breaking the color barrier in Major League Baseball.

Last week, to mark the seventy-fifth anniversary of this milestone, MLB celebrated Jackie Robinson Day, an annual tradition observed April 15.

It’s a day when all major league players, managers, coaches, and umpires wear Robinson’s number, forty-two. This year, for the first time, the number appeared in the color Dodger Blue.

Robinson’s number was retired by the league in 1997.

Frazier Museum teaching artist Brian West, right, poses as Jackie Robinson with visitors at the Louisville Slugger Museum and Factory, April 15, 2022. Credit: Louisville Slugger Museum and Factory.

This year, teaching artist Brian West did what he has been doing nearly every April 15 since 2016: He portrayed Robinson at the Louisville Slugger Museum and Factory.

Brian’s performance centers on 1946, Robinson’s first and only year in the minor leagues. You can click here to view the performance.

From left, Jackie Robinson and Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. attend the March on Frankfort in Frankfort, Kentucky, March 5, 1964. Robinson wore an “Organization for Civil Rights” badge when he took part in the march. Credit: Bill Strode, *Courier Journal*.

Later in life, Robinson would join Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. for the civil rights rally in Frankfort, Kentucky, on March 5, 1964.

Robinson would address the crowd of about 10,000 people in support of a “good public accommodations bill” that would prohibit segregation and discrimination in stores, restaurants, theaters, and businesses.

Robinson passed away in 1972; his wife Rachel will turn 100 years old in July.

In 1973, Rachel started the Jackie Robinson Foundation. Today, it remains one of the nation’s premier scholarship and leadership development programs for minority college students.

History All Around Us

Shirley Mae’s Café & Bar in Smoketown Spotlights Black Jockeys

At 802 South Clay Street, just south of Clay and Lampton Streets, you'll find an iconic Louisville restaurant that has been serving soul food since New Year’s Eve of 1988. The restaurant is called Shirley Mae’s Café and Bar, appropriately named after the founder and owner of the business, Shirley Mae Beard.

However, this three-story brick building in Smoketown holds a long and varied history—it had a long way to go before becoming Shirley Mae’s. The structure actually dates back to 1880, when Andrew Willinger of the W. M. & C. D. Campbell Tobacco Company called this place home. Over the years, the building would undergo several transformations—first to become a grocery store, then a dry goods store, and, eventually, a food bar that doubled as an apartment building.

The building was purchased by Shirley Beard in 1988, making her the first Black owner of the building. Thus, Shirley Mae’s was born!

Graphic for Shirley Mae’s Café and Bar. Credit: Shirley Mae’s Café and Bar, Facebook.

Shirley Beard’s contributions to the Smoketown community and Louisville at large have been astounding. In addition to serving her freshly made meals for decades, she’s also played a key role in preserving the legacy of Black jockeys in horseracing. In May 1989, she hosted a private party at the restaurant to honor the legacies of these underappreciated figures in Kentucky Derby history. Word got out about the event, garnering the attention of citizens from around Louisville and beyond.

Article on Shirley Mae’s Café and Bar published in the April 11, 1991, issue of the *Courier Journal*. Credit: *Courier Journal*.

The head chef at Shirley Mae’s—Beard's eldest daughter, Theresa Simpson—would go on to coordinate the multi-day Salute to Black Jockeys event. With assistance from the rest of the family, Shirley and Theresa would host the event in Smoketown for several years, attracting celebrity guests such as Whoopi Goldberg, B. B. King, and Morgan Freeman.

Shirley Beard working in the kitchen at Shirley Mae’s Café and Bar, c. 2010. Published in the October 20, 2010, issue of the *Courier Journal*. Credit: Kylene Lloyd, *Courier Journal*.

Although the original Salute to Black Jockeys event is no more, the efforts of Shirley Beard and her family have helped acknowledge the contributions to horseracing Black Americans have made. Black jockeys won fifteen of the first twenty-eight Kentucky Derbies! Due in part to the family’s advocacy, the Kentucky Derby Museum at Churchill Downs began displaying photos of these jockeys for all patrons to see during their visits. Additionally, Shirley Mae’s still proudly displays photos of early Black jockeys such as Oliver Lewis, who rode Aristides, the first ever Kentucky Derby winner.

If you want to celebrate an important piece of local history (and eat some delicious soul food!) during Derby season—and all year round—I highly encourage you to visit Shirley Mae’s Café and Bar, a Louisville gem.

Shirley Mae’s is open for carryout only. Hours of operation are Thursday to Sunday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Visit their website for full menu options.

Happy Derby season, Louisville! (And, as always, happy eating.)

Kentucky to the World: OCEARCH Founder Chris Fischer’s Journey to Save Sharks

As the Frazier’s community partner, Kentucky to the World has a presence in the museum’s permanent exhibition “Cool Kentucky.” Museum visitors can stop by this station to learn more about notable figures who represent Kentucky on the world stage. Kentucky to the World also brings speakers to town as part of its Republic Bank Foundation Speaker Series in Collaboration with Kentucky Performing Arts. A May 16 program at the Bombhard Theater will feature Louisville’s Chris Fischer, known for his work to protect sharks. For more info or to purchase tickets, keep reading. But note: the first five Frazier members to email membership@fraziermuseum.org will receive two tickets each to the program! Not a member yet but want to take advantage of this offer? Become a member today! Once your order is complete, you can send us an email to claim your tickets.—Rachel Platt, Director of Community Engagement

“Diving Deep: Chris Fischer’s Journey to Save Sharks and Bring Balance to Our Oceans”

The Kentucky Center-Bomhard Theater
Monday, May 16, 2022
Reception, 5:30 p.m.
Live Program, 6:30 p.m.

Kentucky to the World is excited to welcome Chris Fischer, OCEARCH founder and expedition leader, home to Louisville for an exclusive live program on Monday, May 16, 2022, at the Kentucky Center Bomhard Theater.

Tickets are on sale now for purchase here at $30 per adult and $15 per student for the live program. Tickets include a reception at 5:30 p.m. and a special Q&A with Chris following the program.

As an explorer and disrupter, Chris Fischer grew up chasing fish and frogs around Kentucky. Across his life and work, Chris discovered his gift of seeing the “big picture,” creating solutions around that picture, and communicating those solutions in an accessible way to others.

Through his passion for water and sea life, Chris created his collaborative vision for OCEARCH and began connecting expert fishermen with scientists around the endangerment of great white sharks. Sharks are the balance keepers of the ocean’s food chain and without them at the top, all other fish face the possibility of disappearing for generations to come.

Since founding OCEARCH in 2007, Chris and his team have led forty-two global expeditions aboard the M/V OCEARCH to collect previously unattainable research on our ocean’s giants such as their migrations, reproductive cycle, genetic status, diet, abundance, and more.

Join us for this live event where you’ll hear from Chris in conversation with our special guest host and fellow Kentuckian Peter Schikler, senior counsel at New York City Law Department’s Environmental Law Division, about his global adventures alongside his crew as they dive in to find the solutions that will ensure a sea full of fish and fish sandwiches for many generations.

Additional opportunities are available for students to meet Chris Fischer during our special student-centered briefing program at the Muhammad Ali Center at 4:30 p.m. on Monday, May 16, prior to our live program. To register your students and reserve their complimentary tickets for these programs, please email David Thurmond at dxthurmond@gmail.com to RSVP by Friday, April 15. Students and school-aged children can also attend a special program on Tuesday, May 17, at 10 a.m. and 12 p.m., at the Kentucky Science Center. Visit their site here for full details.

Sydney Sparks
Community & Influencer Manager
Guest Contributor

Membership

Congratulations to 2022 Membership Madness Winner Tom H.!

Last week, we had the privilege of celebrating the conclusion of our first Membership Madness!

Andy Treinen of the Frazier and Andy Bennett of Assured Partners got to present the grand prize to Tom H. of Louisville.

Tom, a Contributor-level member, submitted three brackets. With huge upsets rattling this year’s tournament, many brackets got busted early on, limiting chances for big points towards the end. However, Tom’s winning bracket showcased three out of the four teams in the fifth round and also predicted Kansas as the overall champion. That bracket racked up a whopping 130 points!

Logo for Membership Madness. Credit: Frazier History Museum.

Whether you participated or not, your feedback would be greatly appreciated. Please spare just a few minutes to take our survey to give us an idea of what your thoughts and comments about this member-exclusive event are and tell us what you hope to see in similar initiatives in the future.

Thanks to all our participating members for making this first annual event so much fun. We hope you enjoyed playing along!

Amanda Egan
Membership & Database Administrator

Michter’s Speakeasy at the Frazier, 1800s Surveyor’s Kit and Circumferentor, Shirley Mae’s Café & Bar in Smoketown, and More

1860s Union Infantry Snare Drum, 1963 Great Steamboat Race Golden Antlers, Restoring Louisville’s Tree Canopy, and More

Parkland’s “Black Six,” Countdown to “The Commonwealth” Exhibition Opening, Spring Break in LA (Louisville Area), and More