Access Hour | Women's History Month at the Filson | Driftwood: The Life of Harlan Hubbard | Astride: Horses, Women, and a Partnership that Shaped America | 3-19-25

In celebration of Women's History Month, this week on the Access Hour, we are sharing two book launch events by amazing female historians that were held recently at the Filson Historical Society in Old Louisville! First up, we'll take you back to February 25, 2025, when the Filson hosted the book launch for Jessica K. Whitehead's insightful new text, "Driftwood: The Life of Harlan Hubbard." Jessica offers remarks on her comprehensive biography of the writer, artist, and sustainability pioneer Harlan Hubbard (1900-1988) and the deep impact Harlan and his wife, Anna, have had on Kentucky’s culture. Whitehead's book delves into Hubbard’s family background, education, and relationships, and into his theories on art, writing, music, and philosophy. Using journals, letters, paintings, manuscripts, and sketches, Whitehead pieces together the distinct phases of Hubbard’s life, providing new insights into his character and legacy. Following the remarks, members of the NouLou Chamber Players, Heather Thomas (violin) and Cecilia Huerta-Lauf (cello), join with pianist Sebastian Chang in the world premiere of composer Daniel Gilliam’s “Piano Trio No. 2: Payne Hollow.” This exciting new piece of music, written by Gilliam in conjunction with the book launch celebrates the Hubbards’ vision of living and working on their own terms. The trio also honors the Harlan and Anna Hubbards’ deep love of classical music performance—showcasing the instruments they once played: piano, cello, and violin. Jessica K. Whitehead, writer and curator of collections at the Kentucky Derby Museum in Louisville, is author of "The History of the Kentucky Derby in 75 Objects" and a contributor to "The Watercolors of Harlan Hubbard: From the Collection of Bill and Flo Caddell." Daniel Gilliam is a composer from Louisville, KY. He is also the program director, and an announcer, on 90.5 WUOL Classical Louisville. Watch a recording of the evening and see the musical performance and images referenced at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BucL0S6vD94. Following that, we'll hear from another amazing historian, Eliza McGraw, who spoke at the Filson Historical Society on March 6, 2025 about her brand new book, "Astride: Horses, Women, and a Partnership That Shaped America." In the book, Eliza weaves together stories of women who pioneered in worlds such as Thoroughbred breeding, the circus, and horse rescue at a time when American women in general internalized the lessons of horsewomen: take chances, take up more space, and learn to get back on. From tamers to caretakers and performers to teachers, all worked with horses to buck the status quo. Expressing the idea of femininity with athleticism and authority, these trailblazers changed the way America understood women. Richly illustrated with period photographs, Astride demonstrates that even small changes can advance the fight for progress. Eliza McGraw is the Dr. Tony Ryan Book Award–winning author of "Here Comes Exterminator! The Longshot Horse, the Great War, and the Making of an American Hero" and a contributing writer for EQUUS magazine. Watch a full recording and see the slides at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S1HKDSSs3-4 The Access Hour airs on Forward Radio, 106.5fm, WFMP-LP Louisville, every Wednesday at 2pm and repeats Thursdays at 11am and Fridays at 1pm. Find us at https:/forwardradio.org If you’ve got something you’d like to share on community radio through the Access Hour, whether it’s a recording you made or a show you’d like to do on a particular topic, community, artistic creation, or program that is under-represented in Louisville’s media landscape, just go to https:/forwardradio.org, click on Participate and pitch us your idea. The Access Hour is your opportunity to take over the air waves to share your passion.