Exhibition Open: September 18, 2021 — September 5, 2022 (Labor Day)

“West of Ninth” was a photography and personal narrative blog that featured residents from within the nine neighborhoods that make up West Louisville. These narratives gave residents a voice and strived to create a sense of understanding for those within and outside of the West Louisville community.

In partnership with West of Ninth bloggers Walt and Shae Smith, the West of Ninth: Race, Reckoning, & Reconciliation used the blog as a jumping-off point to explore the historic roots of Louisville’s Ninth Street divide, delving into issues of race, segregation, and redlining in the city.

Originally scheduled to open during the first week of protests that erupted in Louisville over the police killing of Breonna Taylor, West of Ninth: Race, Reckoning, and Reconciliation explored how these historic factors have contributed to the ongoing protests and race relations in Louisville.

West of Ninth: Race, Reckoning, & Reconciliation featured artifacts excavated in Corn Island Archaeology’s exploration of historic Black neighborhood Beecher Terrace, as well as other objects related to Black history in Louisville and the ongoing protests, alongside selections from the “West of Ninth” blog.

As a part of the exhibition, Frazier curated a music playlist on Spotify that you’ll hear in the exhibit and can find here. All artists on the playlist have a tie to the nine neighborhoods featured in the West of Ninth: Race, Reckoning, & Reconciliation exhibition.

Presented by: