From the archives: Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s visits to Louisville
Posted: January 15, 2026 Filed under: Archives & Special Collections, Collections, Digital Collections, Images, Kentucky, Louisville, Louisville History, Photographic Archives, Photographs, University of Louisville, University of Louisville Libraries | Tags: civil rights, history, holidays, mlk, news 2 CommentsDr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s visits to Louisville in the 1960s were important moments in the Civil Rights Movement, with key speeches and rallies held in the city. From his 1960 voter registration rally at the Jefferson County Armory to his 1967 visit to the University of Louisville’s Brandeis School of Law, King’s presence called for justice and equality.
The University of Louisville Libraries are honored to preserve the photos below which document some of his visits, thanks to the Barry Bingham, Jr. Courier-Journal Photograph Collection in Archives and Special Collections. These images offer a glimpse into the city’s role in shaping the Civil Rights Movement.
Muhammad Ali, left, along with Dr. Martin Luther King, spoke to the media regarding Civil Rights issues in Louisville and the nation. By Thomas V. Miller, The Courier-Journal. March 29, 1967. CJ_1967_03_29_TVM_001.
Dr. Martin Luther King spoke with reporters during an open housing rally at a church in Louisville. By Charles Fentress, The Courier-Journal. March 30, 1967. CJ_1967_03_30_CFJ_001.
Dr. Martin Luther King spoke during an open housing rally at a Mt. Zion Baptist Church in Louisville. By Charles Fentress, The Courier-Journal. March 30, 1967. CJ_1967_03_30_CFJ_010.
Thanks to Cassidy Meurer, archivist for the Barry Bingham, Jr. Courier-Journal Photograph Collection, for compiling the photos and captions.
UofL’s earliest basketball uniforms return to Archives & Special Collections
Posted: October 23, 2025 Filed under: Archives & Special Collections, Collections, Images, Kentucky, Louisville, Louisville History, New Items, Primary Sources, University of Louisville, University of Louisville Libraries | Tags: basketball, college-sports, Louisville, photography, Primary Sources, sports-history 1 Comment
In 1993, Archives & Special Collections (ASC) lent Athletics a pair of basketball uniforms for display. The uniforms had been worn by Charlotte Wimp and Donald M. Butler, who were UofL student athletes in the 1910s. Fans of the Hall of Honor in the Yum! Center will be saddened to hear that it has been dismantled, but for Archives & Special Collections, it meant the return of these wonderful uniforms after more than 30 years.
While the Butlers both played basketball, it’s unlikely they wore these uniforms at the same time. Charlotte Wimp (later, Butler) enrolled at the University of Louisville in 1912 and graduated in 1917. She worked initially as a teacher in the Louisville schools and then joined the Louisville and Nashville Railroad Company as a clerk. Donald M. Butler attended college in Illinois and attended our School of Dentistry, graduating in 1921.
Charlotte’s uniform appears to be made of cotton. It is lightweight, which is fortunate, since it features long sleeves and voluminous bloomers. She also had a lovely red head scarf to keep her hair from getting in the way. Donald, for his part, would have been dressed in wool. Say what you will about wool’s moisture wicking properties, he was fortunate that the top is sleeveless and the shorts were, well, relatively short. This is heavy wool and likely to be scratchy as well as warm.
In the 1980s, the Butlers gave their papers to ASC. Their donation included their uniforms as well as photographs and Charlotte’s scrapbook from her college years. The scrapbook, which is available online, features pictures of her friends and their recreational activities. There are photos of sports teams, hikes, preparations for commencement, and what can only be described as goofing around. She was active with student theater, and several productions are documented in the scrapbook, as well. The collection also includes a remarkable placard from the 1915 UofL/UK double header between the men’s and women’s teams, with the scores. The scrapbook includes a photo of the UofL players as they prepared to take the train to Lexington to defeat the Wildcats.
Remarkably, we also hold the papers of one of Charlotte Wimp Butler’s teammates, Florence McCallum, and photographs from Maurice Daniel, a classmate and fellow athlete. McCallum’s scrapbook is also online and features images of the same teams. McCallum embellished her scrapbook with cartoon drawings and inside jokes, some of them featuring Charlotte “Shrimp” Wimp.
These scrapbooks, photos, and uniforms are more than just sweet bits of memorabilia. They are in regular rotation in the class sessions we provide today’s students, introducing them to primary source materials. The scrapbooks give them a feel for how people shared information and stored memories before social media and cell phones. The uniforms allow students to connect to the physical reality of the early 20th century. Together, they help build historical empathy, as despite the significant differences, our 21st century students have a lot in common with our early 20th century students.
New Employee Spotlight: Cassidy Meurer, Archivist for the Barry Bingham, Jr. Courier-Journal Photograph Collection
Posted: November 20, 2024 Filed under: Archives & Special Collections, Collections, donor, Images, Kentucky, Librarianship / Archivy, Louisville History, People, Photographic Archives, Photographs, University of Louisville Libraries | Tags: archives, history, Kentucky, Louisville History, Photographic Archives, photography Leave a comment
As the new archivist for Archives and Special Collections’ Barry Bingham Jr. Courier-Journal Photograph Collection, Cassidy Meurer is dedicated to preserving and interpreting one of the most significant photographic archives of local history. Known for its extensive documentation of pivotal events and social movements in and around Louisville, the three-million-item collection is now under Meurer’s expert care, and her approach promises to bring new insights and a fresh perspective.
One of Meurer’s key focuses is on uncovering and highlighting the less visible aspects of the collection. “A lot of the magic is in the negative collection. The print collection consists of images that were selected for publication, but the negatives hold the ones that didn’t make it to print. These negatives offer a more complete view of historical events and the photographers’ creative processes.”
Recently, she discovered previously unseen images from significant events in Louisville’s history—especially at the University of Louisville—such as the 1969 Black Student Union protests and the anti-apartheid encampment of 1989. “I found a photo of a Black Student Union member sitting at the university president’s desk on the phone during the protests,” Meurer recalls. “It’s one of the most striking images I’ve seen so far. It’s a raw and powerful representation of what was going on at the time.”
In her work, Meurer seeks to prioritize social justice. “If we weren’t given these materials, they were likely going to be thrown away. It’s incredibly important that we preserve them and make them accessible to the community. By doing so, we ensure that these stories are not lost and that future generations can learn from them.”
Looking ahead, Meurer is excited about the potential of the Barry Bingham Jr. Courier-Journal Photograph Collection to support ongoing community and historical research. “There’s a lot hidden within this collection that speaks to Louisville’s history. I hope that students and researchers can draw inspiration from these materials and use them to inform and understand future social justice movements.”
Cassidy Meurer’s stewardship of the Barry Bingham Jr. Courier-Journal Photograph Collection highlights her commitment to preserving and interpreting Louisville’s identity. Her work not only protects valuable historical documents but also enhances the Louisville community’s understanding of its past, present, and future.
New endcaps celebrate notable collections on Ekstrom Library’s third floor
Posted: October 2, 2024 Filed under: Archives & Special Collections, Collections, Ekstrom Library, Images, Photographs, University of Louisville, University of Louisville Libraries | Tags: archives, Books, Ekstrom Library, history, Literature, Louisville History, news, Photographic Archives Leave a comment
We are excited to unveil new endcaps in Ekstrom Library, designed to highlight two important collections: the Granville A. Bunton African American Collection and the Multicultural Children’s Literature Collection. These endcaps not only draw attention to valuable resources but also contribute to the University Libraries’ ongoing efforts to create a welcoming environment that cultivates a sense of belonging for all.
Rooted in the activism of Black students at the University of Louisville who demanded the inclusion of African American materials, the Granville A. Bunton African American Collection was established in the 1960s. The collection celebrates the richness of the African American experience and encompasses literature, history, and cultural works. Named in 1998 for Granville A. Bunton, a dedicated former Personnel Officer at University Libraries, the collection remains a critical resource for students across multiple disciplines.
The Multicultural Children’s Literature Collection, also known as the Barbara S. Miller Collection, is a collaborative effort between the University Libraries and the College of Education and Human Development. It supports faculty and students by providing books and materials that emphasize multiculturalism and diverse perspectives.
The new endcaps were created with assistance from the Office of Communications and Marketing and the Libraries’ Diversity and Inclusion Advisory Group (DIAG). Photos were generously provided by Archives & Special Collections (ASC), featuring collections like Caufield and Shook, Louisville Defender, James Sydnor, and University of Louisville Images, as well as Simmons University Records.
We are proud to showcase these two collections and invite you to visit the third floor of Ekstrom Library and explore the Granville A. Bunton African American Collection and the Multicultural Children’s Literature Collection.
New Employee Spotlight: Nick Shaner, Barry Bingham Jr. Courier-Journal Photograph Collection Archivist
Posted: November 21, 2023 Filed under: Archives & Special Collections, Collections, Images, Louisville History, Photographic Archives, Photographs | Tags: archives Leave a comment
From riding his bike across the Lewis and Clark Trail to living on a sailboat in Portland, Maine, Nick Shaner’s adventures make him an especially cool archivist. However, it was his role in salvaging thousands of documents and photographs after the catastrophic 2022 Eastern Kentucky flooding that showcased his commitment to preserving history.
In the aftermath of the devastating flood in Appalachia, Shaner found himself knee-deep in the daunting task of rescuing and preserving the cultural heritage damaged by the deluge. Many documents and over a thousand photographs, soaked and near ruin, became the focus of his meticulous efforts.
“The Saturday after the flooding, the director of archives and I were loading a truck load of flood-damaged material from Hindman into a big walk-in freezer space in the convention center at Eastern Tennessee State University,” he says. “There ended up being 19 boxes of paper material and more than a thousand photographs that needed to be washed and cleaned and dried and flattened.”
The unexpected challenge tested his archival skills and revealed the emotional depth of his connection to the stories and faces captured in the images. “As a Kentuckian with friends in the area, I would be cleaning a photo and then it would come out of this muddy water bath and be the face of one of my friends. It was a very evocative and emotional experience, and I was proud to have a hand in helping preserve their cultural heritage and history.”
Appalachia holds a vast and diverse history, much of which many are unaware. Working in the Archives of Appalachia, Shaner’s work helped to uplift the stories and histories of underrepresented communities and preserve diverse narratives. He processed the Mary Adeline Henderson Alexander Papers, Kipp Dawson Papers, and letters sent to and from Appalachian soldiers during the Vietnam War. Shaner also digitized theses of Black Appalachian scholars and the McClatchey Family Photographs. “The McClatchey family photos were from the 1920s and 1930s and were in an album that was found under the floorboards of an apartment building in Johnson City, Tennessee.”
Now, at UofL’s Archives and Special Collections, Shaner stands at the helm of managing the Barry Bingham Jr. Courier-Journal Photograph Collection, one that doubles the entire holdings of the photographic archives. He views the project as an opportunity to explore new horizons in archival work. With a strong emphasis on innovative processing methods and active student involvement, he envisions not only preserving historical narratives but also shaping a new generation of archivists and Kentuckians.
Looking ahead, Shaner sees the project as a community-driven effort. By seeking opportunities to collaborate, engaging in public initiatives, and hosting events, he hopes to make the archives a place for Louisvillians to explore and celebrate Louisville’s history with a focus on inclusivity and shared narratives. “Not only will the collection foster students’ curiosity and learning, but it will hopefully bring interest from the wider community. As far as Louisville as a whole, this really is an integral part of its history. There is a lot of visual evidence of Louisville and its community members throughout the twentieth century.”
“I definitely anticipate that this will be a heavily used collection, but I hope that in some ways it will also bring more attention to the archives and their holdings in general. And I think that it could be a springboard, that all the people coming to look at a photo in print from the Courier-Journal are led to experts who can help them with so many interesting things.”
Shaner’s diverse experiences reflect his dedication to preserving history, and his work invites Louisvillians to connect with their roots. He encourages others to engage with archives and libraries as a gateway to discovery and offers a final piece of advice for those who want to learn more about the collection: “Librarians are very engaging and interesting people. They are also very willing and available to help. Start by talking to one of us.”
Archives & Special Collections celebrates Julius Friedman with Exhibit and Gallery Dedication
Posted: July 7, 2022 Filed under: Archives & Special Collections, Art Library, Collections, Digital Collections, Ekstrom Library, Exhibits, Images, Kentucky, Louisville, Louisville History, New Items, People, Photographic Archives, Photographs, Primary Sources, University of Louisville, University of Louisville Libraries | Tags: art, artist, Julius Friedman, Louisville History 1 CommentEarly posters and other works by internationally renowned Louisville artist Julius Friedman are featured in the exhibit Graphic Pioneer: The Early Poster Designs of Julius Friedman, 1965-1980, hosted by Photographic Archives, part of UofL’s Archives and Special Collections (ASC). The exhibit opened with a reception on July 14 featuring the dedication and renaming of the Photographic Archives gallery in Friedman’s honor.
Friedman’s sister, Carol Abrams, donated the bulk of his artistic works to the Photographic Archives after his passing in 2017. Ms. Abrams states, “Julius loved to mentor students and fellow artists. In giving his work to the Archives and Special Collections, students can learn from his work.” Ms. Abrams also generously provided support to renovate the gallery, enhance storage for ASC’s photographic holdings, including Friedman’s work, and prepare the collection for research by the community. This preparatory work is ongoing, but the full collection is expected to be open to the public in 2023.
Beloved by the local arts community, Friedman was also highly regarded among international audiences. Perhaps best known for the posters “Fresh Paint” and “Toe on Egg,” Friedman created posters and other graphic works for a broad range of clients. Outside of his design work, Friedman created his own artwork through photography – often printing on unique surfaces like metals and fabrics – as well as sculpture, furniture design, collage, book art, and collaborative video. While this exhibit focuses on his early posters, the collection includes this broad range of media and formats.
“Julius Friedman was such a significant figure in our local arts scene,” said Carrie Daniels, Director of ASC. “We are delighted to serve as the home of his archive, and to present a slice of it to the community in this exhibition.”
Friedman was a graphic design alumnus of UofL and had a decades-long relationship with the University Libraries. His work frequently appeared in ASC exhibits, including a 2012 celebration of Photographic Archives’ 50th Anniversary, which featured Friedman’s photographic capture of a ballerina in mid-swirl. Friedman’s close friend, former Art Library Director Gail Gilbert, inspired one of Friedman’s later efforts, a project titled The Book. Gilbert suggested that Friedman create works of art from old books that otherwise would have been thrown away, and he ran with the project, taking old books, tearing them, twisting them, boring into them, reconstituting them and creating art. The Book consists of 130 photographs of that art.
Among ASC’s Oral History Center (ohc.library.louisville.edu) digital offerings are two recordings of conversations between Abrams and ASC archivist and local historian Tom Owen. In them, Abrams discusses her memories of growing up with Julius, her older brother and only sibling, and how she came to work alongside him in his studio and then gallery to exhibit and sell his work commercially. Abrams recounts observing her brother’s talent burgeoning in childhood and watching him become successful as an adult. She also talks about establishing a nonprofit foundation in her brother’s name to help young people pursue academic degrees in the arts, the Julius Friedman Foundation (juliusfriedman.org).
The exhibition will run through December 16 in the Julius Friedman Gallery, on the lower level of Ekstrom Library. For more information, contact Elizabeth Reilly (502 852-8730; elizabeth.reilly@louisville.edu).
Digital Collections – New and Old
Posted: March 24, 2022 Filed under: Digital Collections, Images, Photographic Archives, Primary Sources, University of Louisville Libraries, Web Site | Tags: Digital Collections 3 CommentsThe University of Louisville Libraries Digital Collections is moving to a new platform, Samvera Hyku, an open-source repository framework. It will allow for greater configurability, including an improved image viewer. The open-source software allows the University of Louisville Libraries to contribute technical development rather than licensing funds, ultimately saving money while developing our skills and promoting broader, more equitable access to digital content.
However, in the short term, situations beyond our control relating to the aging server and out-of-date software require us to limit access to the full set of materials on the old platform, at https://digital.library.louisville.edu, to on-campus and UofL logins only. If you are on either campus, the URL should work as it always has. If you are off-campus and are a student, employee, alumnus, or retiree with an active UofL address, simply go to https://echo.louisville.edu/login and log in, then either select Digital Collections from the confirmation page, or replace the “digital.library.louisville.edu” string with “digital-library-louisville-edu.echo.louisville.edu”.
Meanwhile, the beta version of Digital Collections on the Hyku platform can be explored and shared by anyone and everyone, on or off campus, at https://hyku.library.louisville.edu/.
Only about 20% of the content has been added to the Hyku version. We are still testing code for upload of multiple-page items (books, catalogs, newspapers, postcard folios, baseball cards, recto/verso images, atlases, photo series…), but not even every single-page item has been uploaded yet. If you don’t see something you used to be able to access yet, don’t worry – it will get there!
Once everything has been migrated to Hyku, the old server will be completely shut down and the https://digital.library.louisville.edu address will transfer to Hyku. We do not recommend saving the URLs of items you’re interested in reviewing; instead, please make note of the Item Number, as that will be the best way for you and our staff to identify both the digital and physical items.
If you have questions about functionality, please let us know, so that we can not only help you, but also write up an explanation for others.
Louisville history of racial oppression and activism revealed in new online resource
Posted: March 7, 2022 Filed under: Archives & Special Collections, Art Library, Books, Collections, Databases, Digital Collections, Digital Scholarship, Ekstrom Library, Images, Kentucky, Kornhauser Health Sciences Library, Louisville, Louisville History, Photographs, Primary Sources, University of Louisville Libraries | Tags: archives, information literacy, Photographic Archives, racial justice, research 2 CommentsBy Rebecca Pattillo
University of Louisville’s Archives and Special Collections (ASC) has published a new resource, Uncovering Racial Logics: Louisville’s History of Racial Oppression and Activism, a website that provides access to documents, oral histories, photographs and other materials that tell the story of Louisville’s history of racial oppression and activism.
The site is focused on education, policing and housing, “areas in which we see institutional racism at work, producing unequal access to resources, freedoms, and opportunities as part of ongoing U.S. racial stratification,” according to the site’s introduction. Funded by the Cooperative Consortium for Transdisciplinary Social Justice Research (CCTSJR) and the Anne Braden Institute for Social Justice Research, the collaborative project was created by faculty members across multiple departments for an interdisciplinary look at the “racial logics” of Louisville via primary source materials housed in ASC.
Dr. Carrie Mott, UofL Assistant Professor of Geographic and Environmental Sciences and one of the site’s creators, said the goal of the project was to provide access to useful information to anyone interested in learning about Louisville’s history around racial justice.
“We also wanted to provide a tool that would help people see the amazing archival resources housed at ASC,” said Mott. “From prior research and teaching with archives at UofL, I knew of the wealth of resources we have here at UofL. But we recognized many people on campus as well as in the larger Louisville community do not understand how to use archival resources, why they might be useful, or know how to access them. The website was an opportunity to provide some resources in terms of actual scanned documents, but also to help people learn that UofL has a lot more where that came from for research on Louisville’s racial history.”
Rebecca Pattillo, ASC Metadata Librarian and site co-creator, said “Working on this project allowed ASC to make some of our materials available digitally. The site also directs visitors to our robust online digital collections, where they can explore some of the materials referenced in greater depth.”
“One misconception about the archives is that they are only available to UofL affiliated people, when actually we are open to anyone in the community,” said Pattillo.
The site features scanned archival documents including pamphlets, newspaper clippings, oral histories, correspondence, and photographs, with contextual and historical information about each document and the larger collection to which it belongs. In addition to scanned documents, the site also highlights oral histories, story maps, and other resources addressing Louisville’s racial history.
Site users may explore the topic of both secondary and higher education in Louisville to learn about the push for equal pay among Black and white teachers in the late 1930s and early 1940s, the city’s move to desegregate schools via court-ordered busing in the mid-1970s, integration of the University of Louisville in the 1950s, and the founding of the Black Student Union and the Department of Black Affairs in the late 1960s. In addition, learn about Simmons University, one of Kentucky’s two HBCUs (Historically Black Colleges and Universities), and Louisville Municipal College, the only Black liberal arts college in the state which operated from 1931 through 1951, when it merged with a newly integrated UofL.
Another topic explored is the history of policing and police violence throughout the city. An example is the story of Fred J. Harris, a Black man who lost an eye after being beaten by police in 1979, and the work of the Kentucky Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression to seek justice for Harris by demanding accountability from the police force.
Housing and Urban Renewal is another focus of the Uncovering Racial Logics project. Select archival materials highlight the narrative of Louisville’s history of racist housing policies and practices, including the construction of racially segregated federal public housing projects in the aftermath of the destruction of neighborhoods and displacement of communities via Urban Renewal. These materials also reveal resistance to and organizing among the Black community and white allies to fight against racist housing policies and discriminatory practices. One such well known housing project is Beecher Terrace, which is explored via the papers of its long-time manager, Earl Pruitt.
Rounding out the project is an extensive, albeit not exhaustive, list of resources for further research. You can explore interactive maps that detail the history of racism within city planning and zoning, as well as redlining within Louisville. In addition is a list of community resources that highlight local organizations that work to empower and improve life for Louisville’s diverse citizens. Also included is a list of UofL Resourcesthathighlights on-campus organizations and committees that work towards racial and social justice, as well as minority affinity groups.
This project was created by Carrie Mott, Rebecca Pattillo, Melanie Gast, Anna Browne Rebiero, Joy Hart, Kelly Kinahan, and Catherine Fosl, with additional assistance from undergraduate and graduate research assistants Cat Alexander, Elizabeth Frazier, and Ben Harlan. Additional technical assistance was provided by Cassidy Meurer and Terri Holtze. Special thanks goes to UofL’s Cooperative Consortium for Transdisciplinary Social Justice Research (CCTSJR) and Anne Braden Institute for Social Justice Research (ABI) for funding and supporting this work, as well as our community partners.
Archives and Special Collections collects, organizes, preserves, and makes available for research rare and unique primary and secondary source material, particularly relating to the history and cultural heritage of Louisville, Kentucky and the surrounding region, as well as serving as the official memory of the University of Louisville.
James Everett Recalls Beecher Terrace and ‘Old Walnut’ in the ‘40s
Posted: December 15, 2021 Filed under: Archives & Special Collections, Collections, Digital Collections, Images, Kentucky, Louisville, Louisville History, People, Photographic Archives, Photographs, Primary Sources | Tags: Archives & Special Collections, Louisville History, Oral History Center, Photographic Archives, Primary Sources 2 CommentsBy Tom Owen, Archivist for Regional History, Archives & Special Collections
of Howard Breckinridge
Howard Breckinridge of Plano, Texas, a longtime friend of our Archives and Special Collections and a fountain of information about West Louisville history, told me that his eighty-eight-year-old cousin James Everett also had keen memories of Louisville’s African American community in the 1940s. Everett and his parents were among the first residents of the brand-new Beecher Terrace public housing project on Muhammad Ali, and he spent his entire youth enjoying the bustle of the ‘Old Walnut Street’ business district. I jumped at the chance to capture those memories on tape since Beecher Terrace is being totally redone as a mixed-income community. At the same time, the wisdom of the destruction by Urban Renewal of that segregated commercial district immediately west of downtown in the late 1950s is being reopened for debate.
The problem was James Everett, an Indianapolis resident, was in poor health and under Covid protocols it was unwise for me to travel. Heather Fox, director of ASC’s Oral History Center, stepped into the breech, downloading an app to my cell phone that allowed me to record an almost one-hour interview with James Everett which as a digital file has been added to our massive collection of 2000 oral histories, gathered since the early 1970s and including many from the African American community.
In our interview last July, Everett recalled the family move to Beecher Terrace when he was eight as a God-send—a new comfortable home with central heat, indoor plumbing, and hot and cold running water which trumped in every respect their former rental in Louisville’s Black Hill neighborhood at Eleventh and Magnolia. He also remembered ‘Beecher’ as a safe, pleasant community where children were admonished by other parents if they got out-out-of-line and there were plenty of things for kids to do. For him, the lengthy ‘Old Walnut’ business district, which bordered his home on the south and stretched from Sixth to Thirteenth and beyond, offered a potpourri of possibilities: a favored donut shop, movie theaters, cleaners and tailor shops, pawn shops, dry goods and drug stores, cafes, and taverns and much more. (Some of the venues were Black owned.) At one point, James tells how as a teenager he snuck into the locally famous Top Hat Nightclub without being ejected by Frankie Maxwell, the watchful manager. On Derby Day, he said, ‘Old Walnut’s’ sidewalks were filled with fashionably dressed visitors—some not even headed to the track—and a large parade filled the street on Thanksgiving Day prior to an annual Central High School rivalry football game.
One especially warm memory involved Mr. Davidson, James’ teacher at Central, who met eight or ten male students in the neighborhood and led them on a lengthy Saturday hike through Downtown Louisville, across the Second Street bridge, and down the Indiana shore to the Falls of the Ohio. Praising this youth mentorship, Everett told of wading into the shallow pools at the Falls to catch carp with his hands and stopping for lunch on the way back to Beecher Terrace. The last third of our interview is a chronicle of James Everett’s years in the Air Force, his brief return to Louisville, and a permanent move to Indianapolis where, after a decade of job changes, he was employed by Ford Motor Company twenty-eight years until his retirement.
Sadly, a couple of weeks ago, Howard Breckinridge texted that James Everett died on November 13. How happy I am that Heather Fox made possible a phone interview that will be preserved in our ASC Oral History Collection. Now we hold forever the memories of a childhood and youth of an elderly Indianapolis resident spent in the 1940s in Louisville’s Beecher Terrace housing complex along that once-vibrant ‘Old Walnut’ business district.
Muhammad Ali: A Transcendent Life: A Celebration in Virtual and Onsite Exhibits, Opens January 25
Posted: January 25, 2021 Filed under: Archives & Special Collections, Art Library, Books, Collections, Databases, Digital Collections, Digital Scholarship, Ekstrom Library, Events, Exhibits, Images, Kentucky, Kornhauser Health Sciences Library, Louisville, Louisville History, Music Library, People, Photographic Archives, Photographs, Primary Sources, University Archives & Records Center, University of Louisville Libraries, Videos | Tags: equity, humanitarian, Muhammad Ali;, racial justice, social justice 1 CommentOn January 25, 2021, UofL’s Muhammad Ali Institute for Peace and Justice and the University Libraries will commemorate Muhammad Ali’s social justice legacy with a series of virtual and onsite exhibits titled Muhammad Ali: A Transcendent Life.
The exhibits honor Muhammad Ali’s connections to Louisville, his unique contributions to civil rights and social justice movements, and his inspiring global legacy. Transcendent Life will engage the UofL campus and community and show how Ali’s legacy as a global humanitarian and champion for social justice impacts peace and justice advocacy today.
The multimedia exhibits will begin a phased opening on January 25, the week after his 79th birthday on January 17. The first exhibit showcases Ali as a Humanitarian and Peace Advocate. In February, a virtual exhibit will honor his civil rights record. Subsequent exhibits emphasize his boxing and athletic background and his involvement with Islam.
Multimedia exhibits launching January 25 include a display in Ekstrom Library of a rare book of Ali photos , while a virtual exhibit features a story map of public art and monuments titled “Muhammad Ali: An Extraordinary Life in Louisville and Beyond.”
To include all voices in the celebration, exhibit organizers invite University and Louisville community members to record and upload video/audio memories or thoughts for a tribute titled “Standing Up For Peace.” Contributors may share uploads to this video tribute and archive through June 2021 via: louisville.libwizard.com/f/ali-stand-up-for-peace.
A symposium titled “Standing Up For Peace – Celebrating Muhammad Ali’s Social Justice Legacy” is planned for Spring 2022, Ali’s 80th birth year. The symposium’s focus will be national and global racial justice and human rights issues, featuring nationally recognized speakers, UofL student contributions, and excerpts from the video archive. A series of break-out sessions will bring together community organizers and justice advocates to design action agendas to stand up for peace in their communities.
The Muhammad Ali: A Transcendent Life commemoration will include:
- An exhibit in Ekstrom Library of rare archival resources on Muhammad Ali including the massive volume Greatest of All Time: A Tribute to Muhammad Ali with additional photographs by Howard L. Bingham and Lin Caufield. The Archives and Special Collections exhibit will be held in the first floor cases of the west wing of Ekstrom Library, across from the circulation desk through February 26.
- A Digital Storymap titled “Muhammad Ali: An Extraordinary Life in Louisville and Beyond” featuring public art and monuments to Muhammad Ali in Louisville: storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/a28b07b8238847de994dd6165877a1b6. This is a collaboration between University of Louisville, the Muhammad Ali Institute for Peace and Justice, the Bridwell Art Library, and the Center for Geographic Information Sciences.
- UofL’s Music Library display will feature original music and other recordings by and about Muhammad Ali. He was an eclectic artist who acted on Broadway and released several recordings.
- Did you know that the song “The Greatest Love of All” sung by Whitney Houston is about Muhammad Ali? The 1977 version was performed by George Benson as the theme song of the The Greatest, a film about Muhammad Ali.
- The Bridwell Art Library will display books highlighting artists who photographed or depicted Muhammad Ali in their work.
- The Kornhauser Health Sciences Library will feature innovations in Parkinson’s Disease treatments as well as Muhammad Ali’s contributions to advance this research.
- A Research Guide will feature several Digital Timelines of Muhammad Ali’s life focused on: his Boxing Excellence; his Spirituality and Islamic Faith; his work as a Humanitarian and Peace Advocate; and his actions as a Social Justice and Civil Rights Icon. The timelines connect Muhammad Ali’s life with key moments in global and U.S. history. The Research Guide will feature additional resources from University Libraries and the Muhammad Ali Institute. https://library.louisville.edu/ali
- The Standing Up For Peace Community Engagement Video Series will ask our community to share their thoughts about this question: “What can we learn from Muhammad Ali about standing up for peace today?” This audio/video collection of community contributions will be available to the public. Upload here: louisville.libwizard.com/f/ali-stand-up-for-peace
- Spring 2022 – SYMPOSIUM – “Celebrating Muhammad Ali’s Social Justice Legacy – Standing Up For Peace.” This symposium/conference will focus on how Muhammad Ali can inspire the world to stand up for peace today on national and international racial justice and human rights issues. We are seeking funding and will collaborate with other UofL offices and academic units, student groups, and community groups.
- Related Scholarship: Fannie Cox and Enid Trucios-Haynes will submit a proposal to present this collaboration and its outcomes at a national library conference.
University of Louisville Libraries News 
