If, like me, you open this email each week expecting to gain a bit of value in your life, I hope it hasn’t let you down. Our team curates Virtual Frazier Magazine with nuggets of fun and informative articles designed to make you both curious and proud about Kentucky history.

It’s often said that all things are possible in May, and I’m feeling pretty good about that this morning. The Frazier launched a new website this week and we think you’re going to love it! Check out our homepage. If you’re looking to host an event or get married here, the events page is amazing, too. A heartfelt thanks to our LaPrecious Brewer for the creative genius, and to Simon Meiners for the steady support.

I’m also excited to tell you about an upcoming Bridging the Divide program hosted by our Rachel Platt and yours truly. The May 25 program “Jumpstarting Downtown Louisville” will tackle reopening Downtown Louisville at a time of crisis. The pandemic, protests, safety, racial equality, and the economy and are all in need of sustainable solutions. We’ve assembled some of the smartest people we could find and we’re diving in to what I’m sure will be a lively debate in what was once known as Possibility City.

In today’s Virtual Frazier Magazine, we’ll hear from Elizabeth Kizito, fondly known as the cookie lady. Her passion has created a Kentucky success story and her delicious cookies are now available in our museum store. Rachel Platt sits down with mayoral candidate Shameka Parrish-Wright. You’ll hear about the legacy of urban radio station WLOU, which just relocated to West Muhammad Ali Boulevard, and you’ll learn more about longtime Ebony photographer Moneta Sleet, Jr.

Our partners in The Spirit of Kentucky® Bourbon exhibition, the Kentucky Corn Growers Association, brought the National Corn Growers Association to town for two podcasts. If you love America’s native spirit, give it a listen — I’m dropping some serious Bourbon knowledge. Our friend Carly Muetterties shares some about Bluegrass Bold: Stories of Kentucky Women, the book she co-authored with Maddie Shepard. Finally, we honor former Frazier board director Myra Tobin, who passed last week.

I hope you enjoy,

Andy Treinen
President & CEO
Frazier History Museum

This Week in the Museum

Cool Kentucky: Elizabeth Kizito and Her Iconic Cookies

If you’ve spent much time in the Louisville area, you’re likely familiar with the large, delicious, and locally made Kizito Cookies, an iconic product that is available for purchase at many coffee shops, restaurants, and now the Frazier’s museum store. The founder and owner of Kizito Cookies, Elizabeth Kizito, is a local treasure in and of herself. A native of the village of Nansana, Uganda in East Africa, she settled in Louisville and created a successful business that’s been a welcome part of the community for over 30 years.

To celebrate the addition of Kizito Cookies to the museum store, we decided to sit down and chat with Elizabeth at her store located on Bardstown Road in the Highlands neighborhood. The moment was full circle for me personally: my older daughter, Adison, having previously interviewed Elizabeth many years ago for her elementary school show, agreed to conduct this interview as well. It was fun to return to the store with Adi to check back in with Elizabeth, learning more about her amazing story. Many things have changed over the years, but Elizabeth is still full of that same positive energy, her treats are still delicious, and we’re still lucky to have her as part of our local story.

Megan Schanie
Manager of School and Teacher Programs

Bluegrass Bold: Stories of Kentucky Women

Growing up in the Bluegrass, I — like many Kentuckians — didn’t learn the rich history of Kentucky’s women until I was well into adulthood. Like many young people, my exposure to women’s history was often reduced to a small textbook paragraph. Even for someone like myself, who was deeply interested in history, “women’s history” was so marginalized that it did not feel relevant to my own life. As an educator, I saw how students need to see themselves in the curriculum, but representation of women’s historical voices lacks breadth, depth, and diversity.

Collaborating with the Frazier History Museum and the What is a Vote Worth? Suffrage Centennial on the teacher resources, I was further exposed to the stories of Kentucky women, whose influence echo across the state. I learned about women like Nannie Helen Burroughs, a Black suffragist, who stood up against racism and sexism across rights movements. Likewise, Julia Britton Hooks, Susan Look Avery, and Sophonisba Breckinridge were all women who influenced local and national politics, but are unlikely to appear in students’ textbooks. Inspired by their stories, among many others from the What is a Vote Worth? project and, equally, by the women organizing the celebration, I asked myself: “What can I do to help all students see themselves in history?”

Together, my co-author Maddie Shepard and I began writing and researching a children’s book, Bluegrass Bold: Stories of Kentucky Women. In the book, we tell 36 stories of diverse Kentucky women, past and present, who positively impacted their communities, each of which is complemented by an artistic rendering created by one of 36 Kentucky women artists. In Bluegrass Bold, we demonstrate women’s impact, intentionally highlighting both well-known and lesser-known stories. We feature Burroughs, Hooks, Avery, and Breckinridge, alongside other stories of activism and women’s leadership. Beginning with the story of Kentucky’s Native American women, readers journey through history to see how women fought against enslavement, fought for civil rights, made scientific discoveries and innovations, and advocated for themselves and others.

Contributing to a community, pursuing one’s passions, or speaking up against injustice does not always lead to fame. No matter their level of renown, all these women have valuable historical voices. We want Kentuckians — girls and boys, young and old — to see how the lives of these women contributed to Kentucky’s story. We also want to inspire readers to leave their own marks on the world. Their voices matter and can make Kentucky and the world beyond better places. They, too, can be bold.

For more information or to buy a copy, visit bluegrassbold.com or butlerbooks.com. The eBook is available at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Apple Books, and Kobo. You can also nominate a classroom or school to win a set of Bluegrass Bold books (25 copies per set) at bluegrassbold.com. The deadline is May 16, 2021.

Carly Muetterties
Co-author, Bluegrass Bold: Stories of Kentucky Women
Guest Contributor

Museum Store: Bluegrass Bold and Kizito Cookies

Bluegrass Bold is now available in the Museum Store along with a selection of fresh baked Kizito cookies. It’s a good combo!

Notable Kentuckians: Moneta Sleet, Jr.

Born in Owensboro, Kentucky in 1926, photographer Moneta Sleet, Jr. (1926 – 1996) began working for Ebony in 1955, capturing photos of many famous African American celebrities and civil rights leaders, including Martin Luther King, Jr., whom he photographed for 13 years. After King’s death, Coretta Scott King learned that no Black photographers had been assigned to cover her late husband’s funeral service. She demanded that Sleet be included in the press pool, threatening to bar all photographers from the service unless he was present. In 1969, Sleet was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Feature Photography for a photograph of Coretta Scott King and Bernice King he took at the funeral. He was the first African American man to win the Pulitzer, and the first African American to win the award for journalism.

Simon Meiners
Communications & Research Specialist

Summer Camps: Cool Story, Y’all

The re-release of the original American Girl Dolls last week really got me thinking about why I do the job I do. This might seem like a non-sequitur, but bear with me!

The dolls, each of which had a backstory set in a pivotal period in American history, introduced many women of my generation to what I’ve now come to understand as public history. It seemed revolutionary to me at age seven to see little girls like the one I saw in the mirror living their lives against the backdrop of the Revolutionary War or the dawn of the Progressive Era — settings I had previously thought got left behind once we left social studies class for recess. But for me, the dolls reinforced a belief about history: that it belongs to everyone, and everyone has their place in it. What’s more, it’s about more than treaties and dates — it’s about how people felt, reacted, and connected to each other in extraordinary circumstances.

This understanding — that kids connect with stories — is what drew me to museum education and what informs our camp programming. That’s why Cool Story, Y’all, a camp based on our Cool Kentucky exhibition and informed by this philosophy, is going to be such a great time. There’s a story connected to Kentucky behind everything, from caves to cake mix, disco balls, and basketball!

This camp will take place Monday, June 28 to Friday, July 2. Sign up today — we’d love to have you!

Heather Gotlib
Manager of Youth and Family Programs

Bridging the Divide

Mayoral Candidate Series: Shameka Parrish-Wright

Her answer was simple: ready.

Now you need to know the question I asked her, as I sat down with the first person to enter Louisville’s mayoral race.

Entering that race came in the form of an epiphany as Shameka Parrish-Wright was in Georgia, campaigning for Raphael Warnock, who would go on to win a U.S. Senate seat.

She is my second interview in the mayoral series, the first of which was with Pastor Tim Findley.

Both are community activists who say Louisville needs a change in leadership, that voices have been missing.

She says the Department of Justice investigation into LMPD and Louisville Metro government is a good thing, a step in the right direction of accountability.

Parrish-Wright is all about the power of the people, with one of her campaign slogans being “We Get There Together.”

She says her journey through good times and bad, navigating the system to get human services, makes her uniquely qualified to get things done.

Her experience as co-chair of the Kentucky Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression and manager of the Louisville Bail Project gives her a unique perspective, she says.

Early on in her career, she worked with figures such as J. Blaine Hudson and Anne Braden. Now, she shares what those early mentors taught her about tenacity and challenges.

Louisville has never had a Black mayor, or a female mayor.

Parrish-Wright says she’s ready. Now, to all my questions.

Rachel Platt
Director of Community Engagement

Staff Pick

Nannie Helen Burroughs: A Documentary Portrait of an Early Civil Rights Pioneer | 1900 – 1959

Though as an educator and a suffragist she played a prominent role in the fight for women’s equality and universal suffrage during the early 20th century, Nannie Helen Burroughs is almost a forgotten figure in the history of woman’s suffrage.

Despite a historical landmark having been dedicated to her recently here in Louisville, and a photograph of her being figured prominently at the Frazier’s suffrage exhibit What is a Vote Worth? Suffrage Then and Now, many of her speeches and writings are difficult to come by outside of an academic setting. Institutions such as Howard University and the Library of Congress are among the few sites that house any substantial collections of Burroughs’ manuscripts and published work.

However, general audiences can now learn about Burroughs by consulting Nannie Helen Burroughs: A Documentary Portrait of an Early Civil Rights Pioneer | 1900 – 1959, a collection of her writing published by Notre Dame press in 2019.

Edited and annotated by Kelisha B. Graves, this collection of essays, newspaper articles, and speeches introduces readers to the many sides of Burroughs: her prodigious intellect, her pragmatic approach to work, suffrage, and race; and her deep Christian faith, the wellspring from which all of her other concerns are flowed.

In her 1902 speech “The Colored Woman and Her Relation to The Domestic Problem,” Burroughs argues for the necessity of African American women striving towards excellence in their field of work, even if it is considered menial, for the race to prosper and survive. In a 1915 writing about Black Women and Reform, she reasons out why without universal suffrage Black women will not be able to acquire the tools necessary to establish space for themselves in society. In her newspaper article “From a Woman’s Point of View,” she relays why she thinks the Black experience in America points towards a more perfect union, despite degradation during slavery. And from her unpublished manuscript What Do You Think? is her essay “Are You a Colored Baptist?,”  in which she writes that “The color of a Christian’s skin does not matter, but the color of their souls is most important.”

Thanks to Graves, the public can now become privy to what stirred within Burroughs’ soul.

Brian West
Teaching Artist

History All Around Us

Urban Radio Station WLOU’s Legacy

WLOU and 104.7 first hit the airwaves in 1948, making it one of the oldest urban radio stations in the country.

Now, that legacy continues for the station, which has just relocated to a newly renovated, state-of-the-art facility in downtown Louisville, located at 135 W. Muhammad Ali Boulevard.

Mayor Greg Fischer, the Honorable Senator Gerald Neal, radio personalities, media legends, and well-wishers showed up for the ribbon-cutting ceremony for WLOU 104.7 FM and WLLV 1240 AM.

Vice President and General Manager Archie Dale said the new location will help the station stay in tune with the community. “This facility brings us downtown where we’re closer to the business district,” he said. “We wanted to be right in the heart of what’s going on. This is for the purpose of us being here and to be able to do our good work for the community.”

WLOU, the Original Soul of Louisville, is now part of New Albany Broadcast Media Group.

Its new owner, radio and television media mogul Mr. David Smith, says he is committed to bringing quality and vintage R & B music, news, and community events that will highlight WLOU’s role as “The People’s Station.”

Smith says he is honored to walk in the footsteps of the former owner, Reverend Dr. William E. Summers III.

WLOU is the city’s oldest and one of the nation’s first R & B stations, and it continues to celebrate its impact on the community after 70 years.

Ron Jones
Community Relations Director, 104.7 FM WLOU/1240 AM WLLV
Guest Contributor

Bourbon and Corn’s Deep Roots in Kentucky

Bourbon is a uniquely American beverage, in that it’s the nation’s only native spirit. But you can’t tell the story of Bourbon without telling the story of America’s crop: corn.

To help do that, the National Corn Growers Association traveled to the Frazier History Museum for a special recording of their podcast, Wherever Jon May Roam. Hosted by NCGA Chief Executive Officer Jon Doggett, Wherever Jon May Roam follows Jon throughout his travels around the country to examine the amazing world of corn, America’s top crop.

The latest episode features Bourbon and its deep roots in Kentucky agriculture.

“As the first official stop on the Bourbon Trail, I couldn’t think of a better place to host this recording than the Frazier History Museum,” NCGA Vice President Neil Caskey said. “There, in the middle of the exhibit on Bourbon, we wanted to give our listeners a deeper appreciation of the unique way that corn farmers helped build and grow the Bourbon industry.”

Joining Doggett in the conversation was Andy Treinen, museum president and CEO; 8th generation master distiller Jacob Call from Green River Distilling; and Laura Knoth and Adam Andrews from the Kentucky Corn Growers Association.

You can watch the trailer for the episode below, or click the links to listen to episode one and episode two. Also, if you’re so inclined, you can subscribe to the show.

In Memoriam

A Woman of Distinction: Myra Tobin

On April 29, the world lost a pioneer and the Frazier Museum lost a dear member of our family. Myra Tobin began her 10-year tenure as a member of the Board of Directors in 2009. She served the museum as it weathered one of its most difficult challenges with the death of founder Owsley Brown Frazier, through its transformation from an international history museum to a museum focused on Kentucky’s history. Myra was an inspiration and mentor to many of us who had the good fortune to know and work with her.

Myra was a humble and unassuming woman who held great distinction in business. She was the first woman with an MBA to be hired by international insurance firm Marsh and McLennan Companies, where she was the first woman managing director of the firm and the first chair of the firm’s Chemical and Pharmaceutical Industry Committee. She was recognized as Insurance Woman of the Year by the Association of Professional Insurance Women in 1984, the recipient of the Helen Garvin Outstanding Achievement Award of the National Association of Insurance Women, and the Timothy J. Mahoney Lifetime Sales Leadership Award. She was a member of the Board of the National Association of Insurance Brokers, and a former president of the Financial Women’s Association of New York as well as the International Alliance, a network of executive and professional women. She was inducted into the University of Kentucky Hall of Distinguished Alumni in 2000.

Myra gave her time and talent, not only to the Frazier, but as a founding and charter member of UK Women in Philanthropy, serving on the OperaLex board, the board of the National Chorale in New York City, the Cattleman’s Association, and the Foundation Board of the Breckinridge Memorial Hospital.

Myra had a generous heart for organizations she cared about, people she met, and her beloved UK sports. She was a special woman who contributed so much to the world and will be missed by so many of us.