New Book Chronicles Early Legacy of Filson Historical Society
What happens when one of the nation’s most venerable historical societies confronts its own legacy, including the distortion and erasure of African American and Native Nations history?
That question lies at the heart of Benefactors of Posterity: The Founding Era of the Filson Historical Society 1884-1899 (Butler Books, 2024). Written by Dr. Daniel Gifford during the Filson Historical Society’s 140th anniversary, Benefactors of Posterity is an explicit and intentional reckoning with the Louisville organization’s past, one that echoes the challenges facing our communities in the 21st century.
In the fading years of the Gilded Age, the Filson Club (now the Filson Historical Society) fostered discussions and launched Kentucky history initiatives that can seem strikingly modern today, including the role of female, Jewish, and Catholic members. Dubbed “Benefactors of Posterity” by one founder, the Filson was often in the vanguard of collection and commemoration in Kentucky, rivaling more established historical societies in the East. But its output was also deeply mired in systemic racism and Jim Crow culture, topics that are directly addressed in the new book.
Written as an accessible and exciting 360-degree look at Louisville and Kentucky history, Benefactors of Posterity is filled with unearthed surprises including Enid Yandell’s Daniel Boone statue; the Southern Exposition; the Chicago World’s Fair of 1893; the aftermath of the Civil War; Louisville’s public parks; the tornado of 1890; and even the Ku Klux Klan.
When asked about his experience researching and writing the book, Dr. Gifford said: “It was a pleasure and a privilege to write Benefactors of Posterity. The research led me to very real, very human stories about ideals and shortcomings; noble instincts and blinding prejudices all rolled together inside people that are brought to life 140 years later. This is an eye-opening window into what it meant to preserve Kentucky history in the late 1800s.”
“The time and talent embodied in this book are a significant gift from Dan to the Filson,” Dr. Patrick Lewis, Director of Collections and Research and incoming President and CEO of the Filson, said. “Knowing our institutional past lets us move ahead with confidence, seeing how we have always been at the forefront of our fields, nationally, and letting us reflect on how we can always work harder to better and more inclusively live our mission to preserve and share the history and culture of this region.”
The Filson Historical Society will host a book event on Tuesday, October 8 at 6 p.m. Dr. Lewis will interview Dr. Gifford about the truths revealed, major historical findings discovered, and skeletons uncloseted in Benefactors of Posterity’s 272 pages. This event is free for Filson members and $18 for potential members. All participants are encouraged to register in advance. To register for this event, please visit filsonhistorical.org/events/upcoming-events.
For more information on this and other Filson events, please visit filsonhistorical.org.
