Americans have been holding presidential elections for well over 200 years; and except for George Washington, as the nation’s first chief executive, there have always been contenders for the office. Some campaigns for the White House have been rather calm affairs, while others have been vigorously and bitterly contested. Through the years, The Filson has acquired a large collection of campaign related material that gives both voice and vision to this important process in our country’s political life. In this illustrated presentation, Curator of Special Collections Jim Holmberg will show a sampling of The Filson’s presidential campaign and election material and discuss their use in the race for the White House.

Jim Holmberg is a native of Louisville and holds a B.A. and M.A. from the University of Louisville in History. He joined the staff of The Filson in 1982. In addition to curatorial duties, he writes and lectures on a variety of topics, the Lewis and Clark Expedition being a primary focus.