A Message from
Rebecca Fleischaker

For the shortest month of the year, we sure pack a lot into February! Being the month of love and Black History Month, I like to find a philosophical union between the two. How best to show respect and honor to your Downtown and to fellow Louisvillians than to open your hearts and show L-O-V-E.

While it may be cold outside, there is a lot of warmth being generated by our Downtown attractions with exhibits and specials for Black History Month. Please do yourself a favor and pay a few visits!

Check out our new Downtown Data Dashboard to keep an eye on activity in Downtown… in this case, I hope you ARE one of the statistics.

And our applications have been submitted for American Rescue Plan funds. If we are successful, we will be able to provide a lifeline to existing small businesses and attract new ones! Cross fingers and toes.

Hope to see you on the streets soon!

Celebrate Black History Month Downtown with so many opportunities to learn about the untold stories and rich histories of Black Louisvillians!

• $5 Off February on Museum Row
  • WHAT: For the month of February, Museum Row ​attractions on Main are offering KY and IN residents either $5 off adult admission prices or other offerings.
  • ​WHERE: Muhammad Ali Center, Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory, Frazier History Museum, 21c Museum Hotel/Proof on Main, KMAC Museum, Kentucky Performing Arts.

• West of Ninth: Race, Reckoning and Reconciliation Exhibit

  • WHERE: Frazier History Museum, 829 W. Main St.
  • WHEN: Through September

• Black Americans In Bourbon

  • WHAT: A narrated tour exploring the unheard stories about the significant contributions of African Americans to the history of bourbon making.
  • Where: Frazier Museum, 829 W. Main St.
  • WHEN: Feb. 5, 12, 26, 3:30 p.m.; Feb. 19, 2 p.m.

• Unfiltered Truth Collection

  • WHAT: KY & IN residents can experience the Unfiltered Truth Collection, the stories of Louisville's African American heritage, for free during February and March at these locations:
  • Roots 101 African American Museum
  • Kentucky Derby Museum
  • Frazier History Museum
  • Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory
  • www.gotolouisville.com/unfiltered-truth-collection/

• The Best Black Baseball Team You’ve Never Heard Of

  • WHAT: The Louisville Unions dominated in the face of racism defeating their opponents, including White teams.
  • WHERE: Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory, 800 W Main St.
  • WHEN: Feb. 6, 13, 20, 27, March 6, 13, 20, 27, 11 a.m., 1 and 2 p.m.

• Let’s Talk | Bridging the Divide: Changemakers

  • WHAT: Join Louisville's Changemakers, who are making change, from transforming a track facility to MOLO Village, elevating the arts, improving lives, and engaging in community service​.
  • WHERE: Frazier Museum, 829 W. Main St.
  • WHEN: Feb. 17, 6 p.m.

• Songbird of the South: The Real Mary Ann Fisher Story

  • WHAT: Presented by Marjorie Marshall, Songbird of the South chronicles Fisher’s life from her tragic and traumatic childhood in Henderson, Kentucky to performing with Ray Charles Band.
  • WHERE: Kentucky Center for African American Heritage, 1701 W. Muhammad Ali Blvd.
  • WHEN: Feb. 25, 7 p.m.

• Black Recharge: The Great Reset

  • WHAT: Celebrate and send off Black History Month with fellowship, food and Black business highlights. Schedule: Live art and open mic (7 p.m.); dinner (7:30 p.m.); small business graduate panel (8 p.m.); speaker (8:30 p.m.).
  • WHERE: Todd Hall, Kentucky Center, 501 W. Main St.
  • WHEN: Feb. 28, 6:30 p.m.

The Louisville Leader Newspaper & Willis Cole, 1887-1950

The Louisville Leader, an African American community newspaper, began publication in Louisville, on November 3, 1917. A race paper boasting, “We print your news, we employ your people, we champion your cause,” Cole wielded power of the press to combat racism. A noted business and civic leader, devout churchman, inductee of the National Negro Press Hall of Fame and a Louisville pioneer in civil rights movement, Cole fought segregation in public parks and on street cars. He also ran for state senate on the Lincoln Party ticket in 1922. Black votes provided the necessary margin to get 19 bond issues passed which financed founding of Madison and Jackson Junior High Schools and Louisville Municipal College.

Historical marker is on West Muhammad Ali Boulevard west of South 23rd Street. Willis Cole Publishing Co. operated from 1917-1950.

To learn more about The Louisville Leader and Mr. Willis Cole, visit the UofL Archives website

Louisville Downtown Civil Rights Trail Markers Project

The Downtown Civil Rights Movement Markers Project was the vision of J. Blaine Hudson, former dean of the University of Louisville College of Arts and Sciences. Dean Hudson’s vision was to preserve the history, heritage and contributions of African Americans to Louisville’s rich history.

Fourth Street was Louisville’s primary corridor of restaurants, department stores and theaters. Through the 1950’s, most white-owned establishments downtown excluded African Americans or treated them differently as customers—for example, denying them the opportunity to try on clothes, to sit at lunch counters and to enter movie theaters. By winter 1961, small-scale demonstrations and efforts to secure legislation opening all such facilities had failed. The stirrings of protest activity that swept the South in the 1960’s inspired African American teenagers who became the “foot soldiers” of the struggle against discrimination in public accommodations in Louisville. Mass student demonstrations in spring 1961, a voter registration drive and a campaign to unseat an unsympathetic mayor and elect a new board of aldermen ultimately led to the passage of the public accommodations ordinance – the first such law in the South.

Today, many businesses that were picketed in the demonstrations have closed, relocated or been torn down. In the absence of a physical presence, these markers will preserve the history of the civil rights movement and tell the little-known story of one of Louisville’s greatest achievements.

Marker list and locations:

• Introduction to the Marker Sites (Louisville Visitors Center, 4th & Jefferson Streets)

• Walgreen’s Drugstore (526 S. 4th Street)

• Stewart Dry Goods (510 S. 4th Street)

• Kaufman-Straus (533-49 S. 4th Street)

• Blue Boar Cafeterias (410 W. Walnut Street)

• Sit-in Demonstration Sites Introductory Marker (4th and Guthrie Street)

• Kentucky Theater & Ohio Theater (651 S. 4th Street)

• Mary Anderson Theater & Rialto Theater (610 S. 4th Street)

• Penthouse/United Artists Theater (625 S. 4th Street)

• The Brown Hotel (335 W. Broadway)

• The Brown Theater (315 W. Broadway)

To learn more, visit Louisville Downtown Civil Rights Trail

Downtown Economic Impact Report

Louisville Downtown Partnership recently released an Economic Impact Report showing exactly what Downtown means for our community and region. This report shows that although Downtown represents only 0.34% of Jefferson County’s land area, it far outpunches its weight. Compared to the rest of the county, Downtown includes 13% of all workers, 63% of all visitors, 60% of museums, 43% of leasable office; and 36% of hotel rooms. Annual wages and salaries of Downtown workers are nearly $20,000 more than the average county-wide wage, generating $4.5 billion in income.

As the region’s largest employment and attractions centers and where $1 billion of investment is announced or underway, it is clear that this important neighborhood is unique and critical to the economic health of the whole community. The activity and investment indicate a rebound and strong future for Downtown. We hope you will help us spread some optimism about Downtown! 

To see the full Economic Impact report, visit our website. ​

A Valentine’s Day gift from LDP
(Because you can’t spell Louisville without LOVE)

NOTICE OF SPECIAL MEETING OF THE
LOUISVILLE DOWNTOWN MANAGEMENT DISTRICT BOARD OF DIRECTORS

A special meeting of the Louisville Downtown Management District Board of Directors will be held virtually on Tuesday, February 8th at 1:30 PM. The public may attend the meeting through the following web address:

Click Here To Join Meeting

AGENDA

1. Committee Assignments

2. Board Nominations

3. Budget Surplus

If you have any questions, please contact info@louisvilledowntown.org