Welcome to The Filson Historical Society

In the post-Reconstruction period, Louisville’s African Americans established separate institutions to meet the medical needs of their community.  Henry Fitzbutler, the first African American doctor to practice in Louisville, was instrumental in the establishment of a medical college for aspiring black physicians.  His school, the Louisville National Medical College, opened in 1888 and operated in Louisville for nearly 25 years.  Some graduates of the Louisville National Medical College went on to practice at the Red Cross Hospital—an inpatient facility founded by a group of black physicians in 1899.  Come learn more about the institutions that were instrumental in meeting the medical needs of African Americans during segregation.

Jana Meyer is the Reference Librarian at The Filson.  She has a Bachelor’s degree in History from the University of Louisville and a Master’s degree in Library and Information Science from the University of Kentucky.

Although previously undervalued for their strategic impact because they represented only a small percentage of total forces, the Union and Confederate navies were crucial to the outcome of the Civil War. In War on the Waters, James McPherson has crafted an enlightening, at times harrowing, and ultimately thrilling account of the war’s naval campaigns and their military leaders.

McPherson recounts how the Union navy’s blockade of the Confederate coast, leaky as a sieve in the war’s early months, became increasingly effective as it choked off vital imports and exports. But in the end, it was the Union navy that won some of the war’s most important strategic victories.

James M.Mcpherson an American history expert and one of the most distinguished historians of our time, was awarded the Pulitzer Prize in 1989 for Battle Cry of Freedom: The Civil War Era. Dr. McPherson was named the Jefferson Lecturer in the Humanities for 2000 by the National Endowment for the Humanities. A professor at Princeton University, he lives in Princeton, New Jersey.

Reservations are required.

More Kentuckians served and died in the War of 1812 than any other state. From the defeats and victories in the Old Northwest to the stunning victory at New Orleans, Kentuckians played an important role in what many call the “Second War for American Independence.” Using letters, documents, portraits, prints, and artifacts from The Filson’s collection to illustrate his presentation, Jim Holmberg recounts how Kentucky’s experience in the war is chronicled.

Jim Holmberg is a native of Louisville and holds a BA and MA from the University of Louisville in History. He joined the staff of The Filson in 1982 and currently serves as the Curator of Special Collections. In addition to curatorial duties, he writes and lectures on a variety of topics, the Lewis and Clark Expedition being a primary focus.