Good Monday morning,

We’re only six days in and it’s looking like a September to remember.

With six public events on our calendar, ranging from a sold-out “Cool Kentucky: Hometown Magic” program next Sunday to the Owsley Brown Frazier Classic Sporting Clay Tournament on September 24, our Frazier staff is working hard for you. Toss in 15 private events and the exhibition opening of West of Ninth: Race, Reckoning, and Reconciliation and the schedule is proving to be quite the challenge for a non-profit.

To borrow a quote from Ted Lasso, the wildly popular Apple TV show, “Taking on a challenge is a lot like riding a horse. If you’re comfortable while you’re doing it, you’re probably doing it wrong.”

And speaking of challenges, due to the surge in COVID-19 cases in the area, the Frazier is now requiring face masks for all museum guests, regardless of vaccination status, starting September 7. This policy has been in place for museum staff and program attendees for some time, but it will now apply to all museum visitors. Our mission remains, as always, to educate, inform, and inspire our museumgoers while minding the health and safety of our staff and our community.

In this week’s Virtual Frazier Magazine, Rachel Platt writes about Pamela Brown, Phyllis George, and Mothers of Exiles. Brian West takes on the topic of NIL (name, image, likeness) as college athletes are now cashing in on millions to sign autographs. Our Curator’s Corner is taken over by an intern and Shelby Durbin sets up a tree planting project from the Global Game Changers.

September is International Underground Railroad Month, the twentieth anniversary of 9/11, and National Bourbon Heritage Month. Busy, busy bees are we. If you too are busier than a termite in a sawmill, remember to slow down and stay in the moment. You can start by watching our Stephen Yates kick off Bourbon History Month with our friends Amanda and Adam from the Kentucky Distillers’ Association.

I hope you enjoy,

This Week in the Museum

Sippin’ With Stephen: Freezer Old Fashioneds With the KDA’s Adam Johnson and Mandy Ryan

September is a huge month on the Bourbon calendar as it is National Bourbon Month. With that being said, I can think of no better way to kick off this busy month than with a visit from two great partners and friends from the Kentucky Distillers’ Association, Adam Johnson and Mandy Ryan. Adam is the Senior Director of Kentucky Bourbon Trail Experiences and Mandy is the Marketing Director at the Kentucky Bourbon Trail®. These two Kentucky Bourbon Trail® experts will explain the new and improved Field Guide, how to best navigate the Bourbon Trail itself, as well as how to best utilize the Bourbon Trail resources available online. In keeping with Sippin’ With Stephen tradition, Mandy will show my viewers how to make a freezer cocktail version of an Old Fashioned.

For more detailed information about the Kentucky Bourbon Trail®, visit its website or contact the Kentucky Bourbon Trail® Welcome Center at (502) 753-1699.

Recipe for Bourbon Freezer Old Fashioned

2 oz. Bourbon
Bar spoon of simple syrup
Dash of bitters
¼ cup of water

Add above ingredients into a mason jar, then put mason jar in freezer until frozen. Add cherry and orange peel to garnish when serving. Enjoy!

Museum Store: The Bourbon Bible

Copy of The Bourbon Bible: The Complete Low-down on the Spirit of America — 140 Bourbons Tried and Tested by Eric Zandona — Copy of *The Bourbon Bible: The Complete Low-down on the Spirit of America — 140 Bourbons Tried and Tested* by Eric Zandona

There are lots of ways to observe National Bourbon Month, but we think this book is a very good place to start. The Bourbon Bible: The Complete Low-down on the Spirit of America — 140 Bourbons Tried and Tested covers drink recipes, Bourbon history, tasting profiles of over 100 Bourbons, and tips for how to select a bottle. It’s a great guide for any Bourbon lover and available in the Museum Shop.

Curator’s Corner: I. Willis Cole and the Louisville Leader

Photo of paper boys outside of the Louisville Leader office. On loan from the Cole family. — Photo of paper boys outside of the *Louisville Leader* office. On loan from the Cole family.

First, I’d like to follow up on my article from a few weeks ago about Oksana Masters. I’m so excited to tell you that Oksana won gold in both events that she competed in: Hand Bike - Road Race and Time Trial. That brings her total medal count in the Paralympic Games to 10 medals in 4 different sports. What a cool Kentuckian!

For today’s Curator’s Corner, I am handing the reins over to our Collections and Exhibitions Intern, Tyler Horne. He started working with us at the beginning of the summer and has been a huge help as we prepare for West of Ninth: Race, Reckoning, and Reconciliation. I asked Tyler to write about his favorite objects that he has worked with for the exhibition, and he chose a group of items from the Louisville Leader, on loan from the Cole family. — Amanda Briede, Curator

As an intern new to the museum world, I am so proud to participate in a project like the upcoming West of Ninth exhibition. I believe it is important to shine a light on stories that have been historically undervalued in my community and help share voices with such crucial stories with the public, and it has been a pleasure to help do so.

A portion of the upcoming exhibition was made possible thanks to an extremely impressive loan from the Cole family, who shared with us the records, photos, and documentation members of the family kept for many years. Mr. I. Willis Cole was the founder and publisher of the Louisville Leader, a prominent and successful black newspaper averaging a weekly circulation of 20,000, and a significant institution at the heart of Walnut Street in the Russell neighborhood at the beginning of the 20th century.

Program for the recital of Telma Marie Cole, 12-year-old piano genius. On loan from the Cole family.

Letter to I. Willis Cole from Edwin Morrow, Governor of Kentucky, dated July 1, 1920. On loan from the Cole family.

Photo of the wake for I. Willis Cole. On loan from the Cole Family. — Photo of the wake for I. Willis Cole. On loan from the Cole family.

The images released give details and insight into the Leader’s work and into day-to-day life in West Louisville at the time. Pamphlets celebrating the women’s organizations surrounding the Leader, letters surrounding the early civil rights activism of Mr. Cole, and Mr. Cole’s correspondence with Governor Morrow concerning issues affecting the African American community at the time can be found in the new exhibition. Photos of the newsboys and workers at the paper with smiling faces paint a picture of a successful business helping to give the black community in Louisville a voice that at the time was largely stifled in much of the country.

Loaned along with the Leader-related artifacts were objects from the personal archives and family history of the Cole family, objects that are just as important and impactful. The family pictures of the Coles, the original pamphlets for piano recitals, and the photos between businessmen and friends are just as vital for painting a picture of life at that time and for being able to understand where we come from.

I met Ms. Nora Cole with the rest of the Collections team when she came in to drop off her items, and she had a story for every picture: who the subjects were, when the photo was taken, and other details that are part of a proud oral tradition of stories kept by her family from before she was born. Many families, including my own, have memorable stories that older members tell or used to tell, those that stick with you and give you a connection to the past. But not every family has what the Coles have — the letter or photo or pamphlet that you can look at and know that it is more than just a story, that the people that were a part of that story were real and alive. And that is truly something worth celebrating.

Tyler Horne
Collections and Exhibitions Intern
Guest Contributor

Four Louisville Magic Club Magicians to Perform September 12

The program “Cool Kentucky: Hometown Magic” featuring Kentucky’s own Lance Burton and Mac King is sold out, but anyone who comes to the Frazier on Sunday, September 12 from 1 to 2 p.m. will be treated to quite a show nonetheless.

Thanks to the Louisville Magic Club, four magicians will be on the first and second floors during that time, sharing their craft with our guests. Those magicians include Jim Harris, David Garrard, Cody Clark, and Ken Abbott.

Both Lance Burton and Mac King were members of the Louisville Magic Club.

Magic has a rich history in Louisville, and we can’t wait to share it on September 12.

It’s going to be a magical day.

Family Days: Monday Funday at the Frazier

Monday, October 11 is Conference Day for Jefferson County Public Schools, and the Frazier is the place to be! From 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., we’ll be hosting crafts in the galleries, scavenger hunts, kid-friendly tours, and special story times for families. The best part: admission is free with your free membership! You can visit our website for more details on how to sign up. As for our Family Days, all you have to do is stop by — and we’ll be so glad to see you.

If you’d like to get an early start, we’re excited to debut Family Yoga at 10:30 a.m. before activities begin! For fans of Cosmic Kids and history told in unique ways, we’ll be sharing a story from our galleries in an all-new way.

History All Around Us

Global Game Changers’ 9/11 Lesson Service Project Kit

In recognition of the twentieth anniversary of the attacks on September 11, 2001, our friends at Global Game Changers are hosting a family-friendly event this Saturday, September 11, 2021. There will be food, activities, and ceremonies to honor the heroes of 9/11. Visit Global Game Changers' 9/11 Lesson page for more details. We hope to see you there!

Shelby Durbin
Education and Engagement Specialist

How Kentuckiana Schools are Adjusting After NCAA v. Alston

University of Louisville quarterback Teddy Bridgewater throws a pass during a game against Eastern Kentucky University at Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium in Louisville, September 7, 2013. Credit: Kentucky National Guard.

This Labor Day weekend marks the kickoff of college football for the major programs in Kentuckiana. As of this morning, the Kentucky Wildcats, the Indiana Hoosiers, and the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers have already finished the opening games in their respective campaigns. Meanwhile, the Louisville Cardinals will find out where they stand when they square off against Ole Miss tonight at 8 p.m. live on national television.

Besides the drama which will unfold during games, this season, local fans might also be interested in how the story will go for their favorite programs off the field — especially in this new age of “name, image, and likeness.” Since June 21, when the U.S. Supreme Court ruled unanimously in NCAA v. Alston that the NCAA could not bar payments to players, athletics departments and even state governments have attempted to adjust to this new landscape.

For players, it appears to be a win-win situation. Last week, ESPN reported that a top-ranked college football prospect and incoming freshman at Ohio State University signed a $1.4 million deal with a marketing company in order to license his autograph. Closer to home, Kentucky Sports radio recently announced a partnership with the entire University of Kentucky men’s basketball team: over the course of the season, the players will participate in certain events and in turn be compensated for their time and labor.

The 1995 – 96 University of Kentucky men’s basketball team, c. 1995. Credit: University of Kentucky general photographic prints, University of Kentucky Special Collection.

Many of the athletic departments in Kentuckiana colleges and universities have taken a proactive approach towards NIL, establishing new departments and programs — some seemingly overnight — to consult athletes on how best to navigate NIL and invest their earnings wisely during their careers, while at the same time pursue an education. UK has The Kentucky Road. U of L has partnered with a sports technology company to create a program called ELEVATE. Meanwhile, Indiana University athletics has taken a more streamlined approach, updating its policy page to reflect the new changes and offering tools and resources for athletes who want to learn more about NIL.

So, what do you think about NIL and college athletics? Does it mark the end of amateurism in college athletics or the dawn of a new era?

Also, if you like this policy change, which college athletes of years past do you think would have benefitted from it the most?

Brian West
Teaching Artist

Pamela Brown on Rebekka Seigel’s Quilt Mothers of Exiles

The program we hosted last month for Women’s Equality Day was themed “Storytellers” — and oh, the stories that were told!

From left, Elmer Lucille Allen, Judge Denise Clayton, Cheri Bryant Hamilton, Janis Carter Miller, Dr. Carolyn Mazloomi, Hannah Drake, Adria Johnson, and Brenda Tuckson at “Women’s Equality Program: Storytellers” at the Frazier Museum, August 28, 2021

Standing fourth from right among many other esteemed women in this photo is Dr. Carolyn Mazloomi, a world-renowned quilter who specializes in African American stories. The stories and quilts she shared mesmerized the crowd, illuminating her expertise, but they were often coupled with difficult and raw messages.

Standing next to Dr. Mazloomi in a red dress is spoken word artist Hannah Drake. She delivered some emotional words on the (Un)Known Project, which brings a voice to those unheard and often forgotten.

You can watch the entire program here.

We also wanted to share a video from CNN anchor Pamela Brown. The video tells the story of a quilt, Mothers of Exiles, made by Owenton, Kentucky native Rebekka Seigel. That caught the attention of Pamela’s own mother, the late Phyllis George.

Pamela Brown and her mother Phyllis George

Brown was born and raised in Kentucky. Her father was Governor John Y. Brown Jr., the state’s fifty-fifth Governor, and her mother was a storyteller of her own — a trailblazing sports reporter and network anchor. She was also a champion of the arts, helping to found the Kentucky Art and Craft Foundation.

So when we reached out to Pamela about this one specific quilt for Women’s Equality Day, she graciously agreed to tell us about it and why it was so important to her mother, and women.

So Pamela, thanks for sharing the quilt, your mother, and this wonderful story.

Rachel Platt
Director of Community Engagement

I. Willis Cole and the Louisville Leader, SCOTUS Ruling in NCAA v. Alston, Rebekka Seigel’s Quilt “Mothers of Exiles,” and More

West of Ninth Opening, Frazier Classic Sporting Clay Tournament, 1957 Footage of Muhammad Ali Found in WHAS “Morgue,” and More

West of Ninth’s Walt and Shae Smith, Geneva Bell’s Champagne Pink Dress, Archaeology Day Screening of “The Beecher Terrace Story,” and More