Good Monday morning,

After much anticipation, it is exhibition opening week here at the Frazier—and in honor of Kentucky’s 230th birthday, we’re throwing her a big ole party. On June 1, 1792, Kentucky became the fifteenth state in the Union. To celebrate, we’re offering $2.30 admission to everyone who comes to the Frazier for the public opening, which starts at 10 a.m. on Wednesday.

Governor Andy Beshear and First Lady Britainy Beshear will be here, along with the Governor’s chief of staff La Tasha Buckner and several other special guests. The Beshears will be the first to walk through the transformative exhibition. With hundreds of objects, artifacts, interactives, and stories, The Commonwealth: Divided We Fall serves one simple goal: We want every single Kentuckian to see themselves inside. This is our Kentucky—united we stand, divided we fall.

Visitors read wall panels next to an original clock face from the Town Clock Church during the pre-opening of *The Commonwealth*, May 19, 2022. Credit: Frazier History Museum.

The exhibition begins with stories tens of thousands of years before Kentucky became a state. It continues through the explorers, immigration, industrialization, the Underground Railroad, the Civil War, and everyday life from diverse and inclusive perspectives. After May 19, when we hosted a small VIP pre-opening for guests to see the work-in-progress, the feedback we received was flattering. I can’t wait for you to see it.

Today is Memorial Day and Frazier Weekly pays tribute with collections manager Tish Boyer writing about an 1895 Grand Army of the Republic event in Louisville. Our good friend Andrea Wilson, master of maturation at Michter’s Distillery, weighs in on the upcoming June 23 Michter’s Speakeasy at the Frazier and how times have changed (for the better) for women since 1920s speakeasies.

There’s a recap of our May 24 Black Six program, which CBS Evening News was in Kentucky to cover last week. Rachel Platt also shares another chapter from the (Un)Known Project. Heather Gotlib unpacks the history of Louisville’s Jewish Community Center, from 1890 to present, and Brian West spotlights the late DC Comics artist Neal Adams’s 1978 comic book Superman vs. Muhammad Ali.

But we start with an interactive creation story from this land we now call Kentucky, interpreted through one of Kentucky’s native tribes, Chickasaw Nation.

I hope you enjoy.

This Week in the Museum

Curator’s Corner: Creation Story Inspired by Chickasaw Tribe Oral Traditions

How far back do we consider Kentucky history to extend? If you ask the Frazier History Museum, we would say from the very beginning. This question sparked several conversations: For example, how do you do that and who should be telling this history? We knew this was an opportunity for the exhibits team to get creative on how we show history and we knew we didn’t want to take on this task alone. We worked with Infinity Productions to create an encompassing installation that will not only be enjoyable and fun, but also serve as a space in which visitors can learn and be engaged.

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

When you first enter The Commonwealth: Divided We Fall, you will find an interactive, experiential space that introduces you to natural Kentucky and some of the Native people of our state. This incredible space gives visitors the opportunity to learn about the creation story of our Kentucky land through the lens of the Chickasaw tribe. This story of how land was created has been passed down, originally through oral traditions, for generations. LaDonna Brown, director of research and cultural interpretation for the Chickasaw Nation, consulted and advised on this project to guarantee the story was told authentically. You’ll be introduced to the crawl fish, who brought mud balls up from the rivers, and the raven, whose wings created the mountains and the valleys. This story shows the significance between animals and land and how humans are intertwined.

This unique and entertaining room features a grand tree with native leaves sprouting from the branches, accompanied by drawings of flora and fauna on the walls. Everything about this experience is distinctive to Kentucky. You have the opportunity to splash in a Kentucky creek, with projected water and animals moving throughout. You will see catfish, red-eared slider and snapping turtles, and crayfish swimming about the floor.

We think the installation just adds another way for people to understand Kentucky history. We know people learn things different ways and it’s our job to make sure we are reaching as many people as possible. Our hope is that you will leave this exhibition in awe of what you learned and experienced and that this installation will give a you different lens of how you view Kentucky and its people.

Twenty-ninth Encampment of Grand Army of the Republic, 1895

September 1895 saw one of the most significant events in Kentucky history. It was the year the National Encampment of the Grand Army of the Republic was held in Louisville. This was the twenty-ninth annual gathering of veterans from the Union Army and the first year a city south of the Mason-Dixon Line was chosen. Kentucky wasn’t the only divided state, but with its close proximity to the North-South line it was certainly one of the most divided in its allegiances.

Since it was to be the first year that the encampment would be held in a southern city, the theme was obviously reconciliation. Civil War leaders from both sides of the war attended the encampment: They came to speak and be honored before the crowd of an estimated 150,000 veterans. The pinnacle of the convention was the parade, in which the Kentucky GAR had the honor of marching last. Many other events took place to bring veterans of the war together, including speeches, concerts, reunions, and campfires. Souvenirs such as badges, ribbons, spoons, and even Bourbon bottles were made and distributed so attendees had something to carry home.

I. W. Harper bottle that commemorates the Twenty-ninth Encampment of the Grand Army of the Republic in Louisville, Kentucky, 1895. Credit: Frazier History Museum.

The Frazier’s new permanent exhibition The Commonwealth: Divided We Fall opens Wednesday, June 1. In the exhibition, you will get a chance to see some of the souvenirs made specifically for this historic convention, including an I. W. Harper bottle. You will get to experience how Civil War veterans celebrated their service—a good reminder as we all take a day of rest to honor our veterans on Memorial Day.

Museum Store: Kentucky Pride Socks

Kentucky pride socks sold in the Frazier’s Museum Store and online. Credit: Frazier History Museum.

Designed in Kentucky, these super comfy socks are a fun way to show off your pride this month—and look good while you’re at it! One size fits most. Get yours here.

Michter’s Master of Maturation Andrea Wilson on Women and Prohibition

On June 23, after a four-year hiatus in our popular speakeasy series, we are hosting Michter’s Speakeasy at the Frazier! We’ve arranged Black Manhattan signature cocktails, a tasting lineup of four Michter’s expressions, and music performed by Bourbon jazz act Billy Goat Strut Revue. We’ll also be giving awards to the Best Dancing Duo and the Best Dressed Duo, so dress the part! We recommend 1920s-themed or cocktail attire.

Graphic for Michter’s Speakeasy at the Frazier. Credit: Frazier History Museum.

During Prohibition in the 1920s and ‘30s, the emergence of speakeasies influenced the presence and role of women in the bar scene. For more on that, here’s Michter’s Distillery master of maturation Andrea Wilson.—Simon Meiners, Communications & Research Specialist

Back to the Roaring Twenties we go with the June 23 Michter’s Speakeasy at the Frazier!

What a fun night this will be enjoying Michter’s whiskeys, a signature cocktail, great live music from Billy Goat Strut Revue, and, of course, some great bites.

Prohibition was a time when imbibing was pushed to the corners of speakeasies and other illegal establishments, which is hard for us to fathom when we live in a community of such amazing bars and restaurants—where having a Michter’s neat or in a cocktail is an easy request for anyone.

Michter’s Distillery master of maturation Andrea Wilson stands with barrels in a Michter’s rickhouse, December 28, 2016. Credit: Michter’s Distillery.

In my own research into the history of pre-Prohibition, it was interesting to learn that it was unheard of for women to be seen socializing in such public spaces. Instead, women were often sent to separate entrances and drinking rooms if they wanted to enjoy an alcoholic beverage. It is difficult for me to think about this as reality, considering that one of my favorite things to do is to enjoy a pre-dinner cocktail at The Bar at Fort Nelson with my husband, family, and friends. I can’t imagine a time when this wasn’t the case. And yet, while the speakeasies of the twenties were not what we envision as a modern-day bar setting, they did open the door for men and women to be in a social atmosphere enjoying great spirits together.

All of this reminds me of conversations with my grandmother (who—by the way—enjoyed her cocktails) and how she always emphasized to me the importance of making my voice heard. My grandmother was a tremendous supporter of women and their right to vote, stressing the importance of my own right to vote. And while you might question why an article about Prohibition is now reflecting on suffrage, to many, including my grandmother, the two movements are inextricably linked. It was her firm belief that if women had had a voice in political forums of that time, the Temperance Movement might not have gotten as far as it did. The length at which it went—the Eighteenth Amendment—changed the American and whiskey landscape alike for years to come by preventing the legal manufacture and sale of alcohol (and impacted my grandmother’s ability to have her cocktails).

I am in my nineteenth year in this industry and the first woman to ever chair the Kentucky Distillers’ Association. While maybe somewhat odd to think about, it was the inroads created by Prohibition that have allowed for such progress towards an amazing American whiskey industry and bar scene. I am thankful for the likes of Catherine Carpenter, who documented the first sour mash and sweet mash recipes, and proud of all the women who have worked to pave the way for more women in the whiskey industry.

I am very proud to work for a company like Michter’s that recognizes the contributions of a diverse team. I am proud to be a woman working in this industry. Proud to make beautiful American whiskeys with the Michter’s team. Proud to see great mixologists making sophisticated cocktails all over the world. And proud to work with colleagues who respect me for what I contribute to the team. This is what I want to celebrate. To all those who fought for what they believed in and were so instrumental in shaping the world we live in today, I would like to raise a glass! While Prohibition was a time marked by uncertainty and chaos, it led to larger change. And that change allowed people to meet and drink as we see in our bars today. The Michter’s speakeasy experience is about being able to celebrate with those around you.

We look forward to celebrating with you soon.

Frazier and Council on Developmental Disabilities Collaborate on Cool Kentucky Student Art Exhibition

One of my favorite projects to coordinate at the Frazier is our Cool Kentucky Student Art exhibition. Students creatively address the question “What’s cool about Kentucky?” through various forms of art and share their pieces for a six-month rotation in the museum’s Second Floor Marshall Foundation Education Center.

For our most recent rotation of student art, we had the pleasure to collaborate with the Council on Developmental Disabilities. Serving the Louisville area since 1952, the Council empowers Kentuckians with IDD (Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities) and their families to live their best life—full of love, support, and resources.

JCPS student artists with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) ranging from first grade through post-secondary transition programs put their minds and talents to work to share what they find to be cool about Kentucky.

“Young people with IDD are oftentimes misunderstood, underestimated, or disregarded,” Council representative Randall Cole explains. “However, the reality is that people within the IDD community are talented and diverse, and absolutely have vision and voice that they express in many different ways. The Council and the Frazier Museum, with support from Fifth Third Bank, are providing these amazing young people with an opportunity to showcase their own stories through the medium of art and photography.”

On your next trip to the Frazier, be sure to stop by and enjoy the student artworks, which highlight everything from horses and the Kentucky Derby to favorite programs on Kentucky Educational Television (KET), the Louisville skyline, bluegrass music, and incredibly moving self-portraits. It may end up being a highlight of your visit!

2022 Frazier Classic Sporting Clay Tournament Early Bird Prices End Wednesday

It is never too early to start planning for the future—in this case, Friday, September 30: the day the Frazier will host the seventh annual Owsley Brown Frazier Classic Sporting Clay Tournament!

This year’s event will have a new home, The Sporting Club at the Farm in New Albany, Indiana, just fifteen minutes from the museum.

The event, named in honor of the founder of the Frazier History Museum, his broad philanthropic investment in the Louisville community, and his lifelong love of history and the artistry of the gun, the Classic will feature 12- or 20-gauge shotguns on the 15–20 station/72-target sporting clays course.

Participants will spend the day competing before a delicious catered lunch featuring Bourbon, craft beer, a raffle, and a silent auction of premium Kentucky Bourbons and exclusive Kentucky and Southern Indiana experiences. The tournament uses Lewis Class scoring, which allows all skill levels the opportunity to win awards.

Join an amazing community of people who know how to have a fun time ALL for a great cause! All proceeds support Frazier’s exhibitions, educational outreach, and programs. Register by May 31 to receive the Early Bird special pricing of $250 for individuals and $1,000 for teams. Starting June 1, prices will be $300 for individuals, and $1,200 for teams. So don’t delay—register now for the Early Bird special!

Register Here

Thank you to our early sponsors, iAmmo and Republic Bank and Trust. For information on becoming a sponsor, contact Lonna Versluys at LVersluys@fraziermuseum.org.

Bridging the Divide

(Un)Known Project River Cruise Journeys to Freedom

The Frazier History Museum is so proud to be part of the (Un)Known Project, which continues to expand in its scope and meaning. The project itself tells the story of the known and unknown Black men, women, and children who were enslaved, their history often hidden. Spaces are being created for learning, healing, reflecting, and reconciliation. It’s a partnership between the Frazier, IDEAS xLab, Roots 101, and several Louisville Metro Government Departments.

It began with On the Banks of Freedom between Ninth and Tenth Streets on Louisville’s Riverwalk. Our new exhibition The Commonwealth: Divided We Fall also has a space created by renowned glass artist Ché Rhodes, glass pieces displayed in a recreation of a cabin where enslaved people resided. And now, Journeys to Freedom, a River Cruise on the Belle of Louisville, tells the stories of two families seeking to escape enslavement by boat. Information on how to sign up is in the graphic above. We hope you will continue the journey of learning.

History All Around Us

History of Louisville’s Jewish Community Center, 1890–Present

One of the most special things about The Commonwealth: Divided We Fall is the way it tells stories about all the facets of Kentucky’s history, including its vibrant immigrant community.

Traveling peddler Isaac W. Bernheim, c. 1867–68. Credit: Bullitt County Historical Society.

One such person featured in the exhibition is Isaac Wolfe Bernheim, who arrived in the United States in 1867. After several changes in plans—including the bankruptcy of the business for which he had planned to work in New York City, and the death of his horse, which signaled the abrupt end of his career as a traveling peddler—Bernheim rose to the top of the Bourbon distilling business. He used his fortune to fund a number of charitable endeavors, including Louisville’s Young Men’s Hebrew Association, which he founded in 1890.

Young Men’s Hebrew Associations became widespread in America in the late nineteenth century. YMHAs intended to be secular institutions that would help new Jewish immigrants adjust to life in America while providing a place for people to share a common identity and faith.

Cover of an issue of the *YMHA Chronicle* that features an image of the YMHA at Second and Jacob Streets, January 1916. Credit: Jewish Community of Louisville Records-Photographs Collections, Filson Historical Society.

The YMHA in Louisville grew quickly, moving from a building on First and Walnut (now Muhammad Ali) to a new, larger facility on Second and Jacob Streets. This building engaged the community in multiple ways, from fitness classes to the Louisville Young Men’s Hebrew Association Symphony, which would later become the Louisville Civic Orchestra.

Teen club dance at the JCC, 1959. Credit: Jewish Community of Louisville Records-Photographs Collections, Filson Historical Society.

By 1955, Louisville’s Jewish community had expanded in number and many had moved from the area around Jewish hospital where Jewish immigrants had built their earliest communities. The YMHA changed its name to the JCC (Jewish Community Center) and moved out to a semi-rural area just south of Bowman Field airport on Dutchman’s Lane.

The 1955 JCC became a cornerstone of the community for decades, and closed its doors this past April to move to a new building on the same plot of land—in an area that is now anything but rural, as the city has expanded out to the edges of Jefferson County.

Messages from the community written on the walls of the 1955 JCC building on Dutchman’s Lane, May 21, 2022. Credit: Frazier History Museum.

On the last night the 1955 JCC building was officially open, its members were invited to walk through one last time to bid the building goodbye. The walls were quickly filled with writing in multiple languages and children’s drawings as markers were passed out for people to share their memories on the walls of the building. The Trager Family Jewish Community Center opened with a ceremony similar to the 1955 groundbreaking, but with the added benefit of having the old building on site to provide a symbolic transition to the center’s next chapter.

1978 Neal Adams Comic Superman vs. Muhammad Ali

Last month, Neal Adams—the veteran DC Comics artist who drew the 1978 oversized celebrity comic book Superman vs. Muhammad Ali—passed away. So we asked our teaching artist and resident comic book enthusiast Brian West to share his knowledge of Adams, his work, and the fabled matchup between Kal-El and the Louisville Lip.—Simon Meiners, Communications & Research Specialist

This Friday will mark six years since Muhammad Ali died. Since that time, the city of Louisville has honored its most famous son in June with the Ali Festival. But, believe or not, the Greatest did receive some flowers when he was still alive. One of those occasions was in 1978, when he fought against the greatest superhero of them all: Superman.

The fight was made possible by none other than comics illustrator Neal Adams (1941–2022).

Frazier teaching artist Brian West poses with his own personal copy of *Superman vs. Muhammad Ali* next to artifacts on display in the *Cool Kentucky* exhibition at the Frazier, May 26, 2022. Credit: Mick Sullivan.

Though not known widely outside the comics community, Adams was an artist who had a lasting impact on the field and consequently on pop culture as a whole. He introduced stylized photo realism—a technique once reserved for fine art, advertising, and newspaper strips—into comics. As a result, Adams revolutionized visual storytelling in the comics field, and, with writer and frequent collaborator Denny O’Neil (1939–2020), breathed new life into comics characters such as Batman and Green Lantern. Adams, like Ali, was outspoken about what he thought was right, especially with regards to creators’ rights and the ill treatment of artists by their employers.

Neal Adams is considered by many one the greatest illustrators who ever lived. He influenced the careers of creators like Frank Miller (*The Dark Knight Returns*), Alex Ross (*Marvels*, *Kingdom Come*), and Dave Sim (*Cerebus*, *The Strange Death of Alex Raymond*). An artist who created for over sixty years and is credited with revitalizing Batman, Adams died at eighty from sepsis last month. He was posthumously honored with an obituary in the *New York Times*. Credit: Private Collection of Brian West.

In 1978, Adams and O’Neil were tapped by the heads of DC Comics to honor the two greatest heroes the world has ever known. The plot is simple: While on assignment to interview Muhammad Ali, who is visiting Metropolis, Clark Kent and Lois Lane have a close encounter of the third kind with a hostile alien invader. The invader challenges the humans to choose their greatest warrior to fight against their own alien champion.

At first, Superman says he is earth’s greatest champion. But, then the Louisville Lip tells everybody else to hold up before they heap praise on the Big Blue Boy Scout as the greatest. So, as a way to silence dissent, the alien orders the two men to choose whom to send to fight within twenty-four hours or else the earth will get zapped.

Supes and Ali waste no time in getting ready to fight each other and the aliens. Ali squeezes in some sparring to prepare superman for a fight ahead under a red sun, the only power that can make Superman as fragile as an average human—the same type of sun that shine bright over the Alien planet.

Learning the Ropes. Before Ali and Superman fight the alien invaders in *Superman vs. Muhammad Ali*, Ali shows Supes the fundamentals of the sweet science, as chronicled by Neal Adams and Denny O’Neil. Credit: Private Collection of Brian West.

Soon, the two greats duke it out before the entire galaxy. Howard Cosell and the Jackson Five are in attendance, while Daily Planet photographer Jimmy Olsen does the color commentary and the play-by-play. The noble Superman puts up a good fight, but is easily outclassed and overmatched by the far more experienced Ali. Ali nearly knocks out the Man of Steel, before showing mercy and walking away. Ali wins in what the alien race call a unanimous decision.

Although Ali did best Superman in a fair fight, the fight itself was a ploy, a ploy to . . . well, I won’t spoil the ending for you. I will tell you this: The two champions go on to prove they are both the Greatest.

A few years after the Imaginary “Death of Superman” story of 1961 (left) and before the “Return of Superman” storyline of the early 1990s (pictured by the figurine at right), Superman nearly met his ancestors in 1978 when he took a whupping from Muhammad Ali. Credit: Private Collection of Brian West.

Though the work is not regarded as the finest work of either Adams or Ali, Superman vs. Muhammad Ali serves as pop culture totem, a reflection of the time before people believed a man could fly, when Muhammad Ali was the People’s Champion.

Dedicated in loving memory to Neal Adams and George Perez.

Calendar of Events

In Case You Missed It: The Black Six (May 24)

What a program with the Black Six, a piece of history that played out in Louisville in 1968 that everyone in the community should know about. It was an evening of conversation and learning, one at which Mayor of Louisville Greg Fischer issued an apology to the Black Six. Take some time to learn our city’s history.

Membership

Member Exclusive Summer Book Club Recap and Look Ahead

On Sunday, May 22, we had our inaugural Summer Book Club discussion of My Old Kentucky Home: An Astonishing Life and Reckoning of an Iconic American Song followed by a reading, a Q & A, and a book signing by author Emily Bingham.

What a great turnout and fantastic questions by our community!

Join us in June for our next title: I’ve Got A Home in Glory Land: A Lost Tale of the Underground Railroad by Karolyn Smardz Frost.

See our entire Summer Book Club Lineup

Become a member today to be a part of our Member Exclusive Summer Book Club!

Introducing Another ALL Member Exclusive Program!

On top of Summer Book Club, this summer, members will have the opportunity to enjoy and experience an exhibit and event “flight.”

Participation will be easy! Starting June 1, when members come to the museum, they will pick up a Frazier Frequent Flight Passport. This passport will list everything that is eligible for the program.

And note: Summer Book Club is an eligible event within the Frazier Frequent Flight Passport!

Simply put, if members attend ANY (4) four of the items listed, they will receive an exclusive Frazier Member Coffee Mug. Even better, if a member attends all the special events listed in the passport, they will be entered into a door prize to receive an ultimate museum experience!

Merch, exhibits, and experiences galore!

Sounds like a win-win.

This program will begin on June 1 and end September 30. Plenty of opportunities for you to visit and to earn that mug and more!

See everyone on June 1!

And speaking of June 1 . . .

You’re Invited. Come Join Us!

June 1 will mark the 230th anniversary of June 1, 1792, the day Kentucky became the fifteenth state in the Union! To celebrate the occasion, the Frazier History Museum is hosting the official opening of The Commonwealth: Divided We Fall, a groundbreaking permanent exhibition.

Featuring an array of objects, replicas, and walk-in installations, The Commonwealth will take members and visitors on a winding journey through the lives of everyday Kentuckians, from pre-settlement to the early 1900s.

“This exhibition shares our history in an inclusive and honest way that hasn’t really been presented before,” Frazier president and CEO Andy Treinen said.

Governor Andy Beshear will be in attendance with the news conference and ribbon cutting beginning at 10 a.m.

HINT: Attending would kick start your journey in our Member Exclusive Program: Frazier Frequent Flight.

So come downtown and join in the festivities! Frazier staff will present a birthday cake shaped like the state of Kentucky and lead a singing of “Happy Birthday to You,” the song written and composed by Louisville sisters Patty and Mildred Hill.

We would love to see you and celebrate with you as we give a toast to OUR Kentucky!

Become a member today in order to receive free general admission all year long and to start planning your “frequent flights.”

Amanda Egan
Membership & Database Administrator

Kentucky’s 230th Birthday, Gov. Beshear and First Lady to be First to Tour New Exhibition The Commonwealth, Chickasaw-inspired Creation Story, and More

Old Fashioneds With Jackie Zykan, Step-by-step Tour of The Commonwealth, Teacher Appreciation Day at the Frazier, and More

Ché Rhodes Glass Art, 1900s Jellico Mining Co. Scrip Coin, 1968 Louisville Rebellion “Hurricane’s Eye” Relic, and More