Originally installed in 2009, the McConnell Chao Archives includes a permanent gallery in with exhibits, films and interactive displays about U.S. government, history and politics. This new expansion significantly enhances both the capacity and functionality of the facility with a newly constructed archive storage room to house the collections of McConnell and Chao, which includes 3,768 individual items.

The contemporary space also includes high-density shelving and meets archival standards to ensure long-term preservation and accessibility. Additionally, the project features a newly dedicated digital processing room, the creation of a new research carrel and the installation of a dedicated exhibit showcasing memorabilia related to McConnell.

“Senator McConnell and Secretary Chao have long held a special place in the life of our university, and the expansion of this archive marks yet another milestone in a shared history rooted in service, scholarship and civic leadership,” said UofL President Gerry Bradley. “It’s not just a record of political history — it’s a living resource for students, scholars and citizens who seek to understand and engage with the democratic process.”

“I want to sincerely thank the University of Louisville and the McConnell Center for their hard work, dedication and continued support in preserving and sharing the McConnell Chao Archives. This collection represents decades of public service and provides a front-row view of how our government and institutions operate,” said Senator McConnell. “By preserving these materials, we’re helping foster a deeper understanding of our nation’s political process and the importance of civic engagement. The expansion of the archives marks a continued investment in passing on the lessons of government, leadership and media engagement with the hope of igniting the next generation to take part in shaping the future of our democracy.”

“What a memorable day this is to celebrate the expansion of the McConnell Chao Archives at the University of Louisville,”Ìęsaid Secretary Chao.Ìę“In chronicling my life journey of coming as an immigrant to America, working in leadership positions in the public, private and nonprofits sectors, this collection will hopefully serve as an inspiration to current and future generations of the opportunities in this country and the myriad ways to contribute to the betterment of our beloved Commonwealth, nation and world.”

McConnell is Kentucky’s longest-serving senator and earlier this year completed his tenure as the longest-serving Senate party leader in American history. Chao, the first Asian American woman to serve in a cabinet-level position, has served as secretary for the U.S. Department of Labor and U.S. Department of Transportation.

The senator graduated from UofL in 1964 and served as a student body president. In 1991, he established the McConnell Center, a nonpartisan academic program that prepares students and educators to become top-level leaders.Ìę

Throughout his tenure in the Senate, McConnell has secured over $1.26 billion in federal funding for research and infrastructure at Kentucky universities, including $413 million for the University of Louisville. The expansion of the McConnell Chao Archives was funded in part through private donor philanthropy.

View photos from the Aug. 12 event on .ÌęWatch the celebration event on .

“I often consider photographs as documents that you can read,” said Reilly, an associate professor and curator of UofL’s photographic archives. “What we can learn from old photographs, or photographs in general, is immense. And the preservation of that material is important for maintaining that information and being able to learn the history of our university, city and neighbors.”

A city comes into focus

The university’s archives include a trove of unique collections – each filled with countless artifacts. Reilly suspects that if you tallied the individual negatives, slides and prints from the photographic archives, UofL likely houses roughly 7-8 million images. But one collection in particular stands out – the .

“The Caufield & Shook collection is special because it’s all Louisville. It contains a lot of Louisville’s history and really documents the city’s growth,” Reilly said. “It’s a visual history, so a lot of people can truly connect to it and find photographs of their family, their businesses, houses, neighborhoods and streets. It’s one of our most-accessed collections.”

With a motto of “We photograph ANYTHING, day or night,” James Caufield and Frank W. Shook’s studio operated in Louisville, Kentucky, from 1903-1978. The bulk of the photographs are from the era after the Great Flood of 1937 that destroyed much of the studio’s earlier prints, although UofL does have some pre-flood material from work stored on the second story of Caufield & Shook’s Fourth Street studio.

A community collection

UofL’s photographic archives were founded in 1962, “which is pretty early for a university photo collection,” Reilly said. The university quickly gained attention as a place where photographs could be preserved and made available for research. This reputation made UofL an ideal guardian for Caufield & Shook, which began sending pieces from its studio archives to the university around 1968. UofL continued receiving batches until the studio shuttered in 1978.

Today, the library has digitized over 8,000 of those images, which are viewable through the . But they aren’t exclusively available to the university community – they’re for everybody.

“Anybody can come in and talk to one of our archivists or librarians who are sitting at our reference desk and say, ‘This is what I’m looking for, can you help me?’ We’re here for the community,” Reilly said.

Throughout the year, Reilly collaborates with professors and local educators to teach one-off sessions about specific topics they’re teaching in the classroom. She particularly finds excitement in introducing young Jefferson County Public School students to UofL’s collections, especially 3D images from the 19th century viewed through a stereo viewer.

Preserve, organize, describe

As archivists, Reilly and her colleagues receive and process collections, craft descriptions to make them discoverable, and then make them available to the public. Preservation as an act is a labor-intensive process and relies on a myriad of resources from climate-controlled storage spaces to digital data servers.

But the effort and mission are worth it to Reilly because Archives & Special Collections is the memory of the university.

“It’s curious to see how people lived back then and compare our own current-day experience and existence,” Reilly said. “When you look at photographs of people in Louisville from 100 years ago, it may be totally different, and you try to picture yourself in that environment and in that day inside the photograph. Delve in and really read a photograph. You can learn so much. It’s a very interesting thing to experience and that’s what I love about my job.”

Below, Reilly shares her 10 favorite examples of common types of photographs found in the Caufield & Shook collection.

Seven young African American men standing at a fence, each holding tools, 1920.

“I love this photograph. First, the faces and postures of the young men and the pride conveyed in ‘a job well done.’ From this image I get a glimpse into the Prentice School, its students and the type of teaching that happened there. I love the fashion and the way the students are sharply dressed. I appreciate this small view of Louisville’s downtown (South Sixth Street between Chestnut Street and Muhammad Ali Boulevard) that no longer looks anything like this, with its stately homes in the background. Lastly, the quality of this photograph is exceptional with its perfect exposure and symmetrical framing, things I have come to expect from images created by the Caufield & Shook studio.”

Carter Dry Goods and National Grocer, Louisville, Kentucky, 1922.

“This is a great example of a photo that shows buildings that still stand today in their original context. The large building in the center is the Carter Dry Goods which is now the Kentucky Science Center. If you go back and look at the building today, which was built in 1878, you can still see the name Carter Dry Goods at the top of the façade.”

Opening of Municipal Bridge, Jeffersonville, Indiana, 1929.

“Here is another photograph of a familiar Louisville landmark, the Second Street Bridge, on its opening day. The was the first bridge offering motor vehicle connection between Louisville and Southern Indiana, but here we see it filled with hundreds of pedestrians. I love this photograph particularly for the young man looking at the camera in a sea of people facing the other direction.”

Cherokee Park, Louisville, Kentucky, circa 1927.

“William Bowers, who joined the company as a third partner in 1907, took a lot of photographs around the parks of Louisville for the Caufield and Shook stock files that they would sell in their studio for people to decorate their homes with. These stock files were a very big source of their income and were located on the second floor of their studio and therefore were spared from damage from the 1937 flood. As a result, we have those original prints today in the collection.”

Transport Workers Union demonstration, Louisville, Kentucky, 1939.

“I love how this photo shows that Louisvillians were fighting for their rights back in 1939, just as we still are today. It’s a great shot of citizens demanding rights, better pay and conditions by protesting and holding signs.”

Hippodrome, Louisville, Kentucky, 1938.

“This photo is a great example of a view of downtown that no longer exists. These buildings are gone, replaced with a one-story building and a parking lot, but the church in the right-hand background is still present. Photos like this raise questions about why certain buildings and blocks were demolished and others were not, sparking an examination of the urban renewal that began here in the 1960s and ’70s. This corner constitutes the western edge of the ‘East Downtown Renewal Area’ that was considered a blighted area and designated for clearing.”

Puppies with bananas at Denunzio’s Fruit Market, Louisville, Kentucky, 1938.

“I’m a dog lover, especially of bully breeds like the ones pictured here. But this adorable photo also leads me to ask how and why this silly photo was taken. Was Caufield & Shook hired to create an advertisement for this fruit market? Were they the shop owner’s dogs? I love quirky photos like this.”

Bicyclists in front of Young’s Pharmacy, Louisville, Kentucky, 1938.

“This is an example of a photo that shows a building that still stands today and might be very recognizable to people who frequent Frankfort Avenue. With photos like this, I like to open Street View on Google Maps to match the same point of view of the old photograph and compare today’s view to what is seen in the photo. Today, there is still a ghost sign (a faded, painted ad on a building) of the name of pharmacy on the building. I also love this shot for the wet street reflecting light and the moment of the boy getting off his bicycle – it’s very atmospheric.”

Young’s Pharmacy interior, Louisville, Kentucky, 1927.

“This is an interior view of the pharmacy photographed above, but 11 years prior. There are far fewer interior views of old businesses and buildings than there are exterior shots, and I love seeing what these sorts of stores looked like and what types of wares they were selling.”

Children in Halloween costumes, 1928.

“I chose this photo really just because I’m a collector of vintage Halloween decorations and I just love zooming in and examining the details of the children’s beautiful costumes.”

If you are interested in having your students interact with primary source material, for your class.

To see what else lives in UofL’s archives, .

The badges contained an upbeat pledge that ended with the catchphrase “I Dare You To Catch Me Not Smiling,” and were widely distributed after the historic 1937 flood to boost morale. Now posters are reappearing locally during the COVID-19 era in a variety of colors that differ from the badges’ original orange. An enterprising individual must have recognized a similar mood arising in our current reality and thought we could use the boost.

Pledge: From Mayor Neville Miller scrapbook, Rare Books, University of Louisville Archives and Special Collection.

“It made me quite emotional to think about other times that people in the city have come together to weather a crisis,” Hall said. “Seeing these makes me feel very connected to the whole city.”

The Ohio River’s over-spill engulfed 70% of Louisville and 90% of Jeffersonville, Indiana, and devastated other communities along the river from Pennsylvania to Illinois. Getting back to normal life after the waters receded was a shared public challenge. During this time, Louisville Mayor Neville Miller created the Committee on Morale to prevent panic and encourage cooperation, service and determination. Notices, broadsides and posters were posted throughout the city to offer ways to cope and recover from the extensive damage.

Quarantine pass: from C. H. Burkholder Papers, University of Louisville Archives and Special Collections.

In 2017, UofL’s Archives and Special Collections held an exhibit showcasing these artifacts and archival photography from its collections chronicling the flood’s impact. A part of the exhibit was Mayor Miller’s scrapbook kept during the era and now housed in ASC’s Rare Books collection – it includes the original orange flyers. Also part of the exhibit was a quarantine pass allowing individuals to leave their homes for a period of time; it is collected in ASC’s C.H. Burkholder Papers.

Poster seen in Louisville’s Germantown neighborhood recently echoes 1937 Flood publications.

“Even though I burst into tears when I first saw the poster, I’m smiling now!” Hall said.

The Biennial, now in its 11th year, runs through Nov. 10 with 69 exhibits, 10 workshops, 42 receptions and artist talks.

Photography exhibitions – spanning traditional to contemporary and local to global –Ìęare mounted at museums, galleries, businesses and cultural institutions all over the city.

UofL is participating with a number of exhibitions at campus galleries.

“Any festival that hopes for longevity needs to support and encourage young artists and our partnerships with all our local universities, especially the University of Louisville, allow us to do that,” said Sam Miller, gallery assistant at Paul Paletti Gallery and a Photo Biennial administrator. “In addition to the faculty who have helped as Biennial volunteers, we have always been able to count on UofL to provide the most diverse programming. For an example of that you need to look no further than 2019. We have 2 historical shows – the Walker Evans and Jay Mather, which won a Pulitzer, and two shows curated by grad students, Rachid Tougoulla and Zed Saeed. Its depth like that that makes us look forward to the University’s Biennial contribution year after year.”

This showÌęfocuses on a two-year period (1935-36) in which the American photographer Walker Evans created some of the most iconic images of America in the throes of the Great Depression. Featuring letters and photographs from the Library of Congress and from the Roy Stryker Papers housed at UofL’s Archives and Special Collections, this exhibition includes a special section on Evans’s photographs forÌę“Let Us Now Praise Famous Men,” by James Agee. The show was curated by MFA photography student, Zed Saeed.

Location:ÌęSchneider Galleries,ÌęSchneider Hall,ÌęUofL
Schedule: Running through Nov. 1.ÌęGallery Hours are Monday-Friday 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

Saeed’s graduate work uses the aesthetics of straight photography to capture images of places and people that are off limits or inaccessible. The Gentlemen’s Clubs of Louisville often hide in plain sight. Saeed’s photography of these clubs is an ongoing project in which he hopes to capture images and stories of a forbidden spaces and their inhabitants.

Location: Schneider Galleries,ÌęSchneider Hall,ÌęUofL
Schedule: Running through Nov. 1.ÌęGallery Hours are Monday-Friday 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

Ìę

Photographs in this show are dependent on the projection of light rather than on a camera or lens. TheÌęworks inÌę“Lensless,”Ìęincluding chemigrams, photograms and lumen prints, engage with current trends in which the camera is superfluous to the production of photographic images. This group exhibition is curated by Mitch Eckert, Associate Professor of Art.

Location: Cressman Center, 100 E. Main St.
Schedule: Running through Oct. 26. Gallery hours are Wednesday-Friday 11a.m.-6 p.m. and Saturday 11 a.m.–3 p.m.

Archives and Special Collection presents this collection of Pulitzer Prize-winning photos taken for The Courier-Journal in 1979. The exhibition marks the 40th anniversary of the fall of Cambodia’s Khmer Rouge regime.

Location: Photographic Archives, Lower Level, Ekstrom Library

Schedule: Running through Dec. 16. Gallery hours are Monday–Friday Ìę9 a.m.-5 p.m.

This spring, five photography students received a scholarship from Hite Art Institute to travel to Morocco under the supervision of Professor Mary Carothers and Rachid Tagoulla, Hite’s first international MFA student. The group participated in a film festival sponsored by Ibn Zohr University, based in Agadir, a modern coastal city where they made lasting friendships from all over the world. Students also met with photographers from Club Photo d’Agadir and discussed ways to build exchange exhibitions. The Hite students then accompanied Professor Carothers to Tetouan, an ancient city nestled in the Rif mountains, where she has developed a partnership with Green Olive Art Center. This partnership will provide customized artist residencies for Hite students beginning summer 2020.

“Morocco, Many Eyes, One Vision!” presents an inclusive exhibition of photographs by the Hite students who attended the excursion and members of Club Photo D’Agadir. Curated by Tagoulla, the exhibition asks audience members to explore the ideas and emotions that bind humanity together.

Location: Hite Art Institute Portland MFA Studio, 1606 Rowan St.

Schedule: By appointment, callÌę502-852-6794