University Libraries

By Sara J. Pinkham, exhibition and engagement coordinator, Main Library Gallery

The story of Bill Sackter is familiar to many who have lived in Iowa City for a long time. Perhaps some will remember buying a cup of coffee from him at Wild Bill’s Coffee Shop in North Hall in the University of Iowa School of Social Work. Others might recall reading about him in the local paper, seeing him at synagogue, greeting him at the bus stop, or watching the two television movies inspired by his life.   

The fall 2023 Main Library Gallery exhibit serves both as an introduction for people who never had the opportunity to meet Bill, and as a celebration of this Iowa City legend for those who were fortunate enough to cross paths with him.  

Bill was a man who endured many years institutionalized in Minnesota for an intellectual disability. Despite this treatment, he brought joy and kindness with him wherever he went after finding his freedom and settling in Iowa City. Hey Buddy, I’m Bill shares a glimpse into Bill’s life and legacy while also acknowledging some of Iowa’s own history with institutionalization and disability rights. 

The exhibition will be open through Dec. 19, 2023, and was curated by Jen Knights and Brad Ferrier. Knights is the marketing and communications manager for Performing Arts at Iowa in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, and Ferrier is a digital projects librarian in Special Collections and Archives at the University of Iowa Libraries. 

Both answered some questions about their experience curating the exhibit: 

Q: Why is it important to have an exhibit featuring Bill Sackter?  

Knights: We hope to teach a new generation of people about Bill Sackter’s story. It is not only an important part of the history of the University of Iowa and our national leadership in the area of disability, but also as a demonstration of the power of writing and storytelling and how stories can shift perspectives, expand understanding and empathy, and truly make a difference on a large scale. In this case, the Emmy- and Golden Globe-winning film Bill, written by Barry Morrow, a former staff member at the UI School of Social Work.  

Barry and his wife, Bev, both played very important roles in Bill’s life. They are the people who befriended Bill in Minneapolis, made him a part of their family, and moved him to Iowa City with them, where he thrived. Their time together inspired Barry to write the teleplay for the eponymous television movie, which started Barry’s career in Hollywood and brought Bill into the national spotlight.  

Ferrier: When Bill died in 1983, I was only 6 years old. I did not know about Bill Sackter while I was growing up in Indiana, nor had I seen the movie Bill on TV. When I arrived at the University of Iowa in 2010 to pursue a graduate degree from the School of Library and Information Science, I came across Wild Bill’s, a coffee shop in North Hall. I would occasionally visit the coffee shop while taking classes at the University of Iowa Center for the Book and noticed the photographs of Bill on the wall.  

I did not really get to know the story of Bill until after graduating, after having my stroke (shortly after graduation), and after I started working at the University of Iowa Libraries. I became involved in disability awareness and advocacy on campus and had a chance to see a screening of A Friend Indeed at Wild Bill’s, hosted by Jen. From that documentary, I began to understand the significance of Bill and the impact he had on those who knew him, and the impact that he still has today.  

It is important to tell his story again. There are fewer and fewer people who know the story of Bill Sackter. This exhibit will hopefully introduce, or reintroduce, Bill to a community that he had–and still has–a tremendous influence on. 
 

Q: What inspired you to co-curate an exhibition for the University of Iowa Libraries?  

Knights: Prior to my current role in Performing Arts at Iowa, I worked at the School of Social Work. I was the staff person overseeing the management of Wild Bill’s in 2020, the year the coffee shop closed. The School of Social Work team made the decision to change the format of Wild Bill’s (which is still open as a learning lab and classroom) because of the pandemic, and also because of progress. People with disabilities are now much more integrated into community spaces, and social work students no longer need a sheltered, dedicated environment where they can interact with people with disabilities. We continued to change with the times, and we shifted to honor our own strategic priorities and best practices.   

As we pivoted, we realized that it’s an important moment to tell Bill’s story to a wider audience again, and to preserve his legacy to teach new generations about the impact his life had in the world. We have people in our community who still remember Bill and have their own stories to tell, and we have young people and newer community members who have never heard about him. And we have this treasure trove of artifacts and writings and photos that need to be preserved, catalogued, and kept safe so that Bill—and all of his “buddies”—will not be forgotten. This is when I decided to submit an exhibit proposal to the Main Library Gallery. 

Ferrier: I take very little credit for curating this exhibit. Jen drafted and submitted the proposal for the exhibit and then asked me if I would like to be a part of it. I said yes, without hesitation. This was a tremendous opportunity because I–in fact, neither one of us–had curated an exhibit before. Jen, having worked at the School of Social Work, was more familiar with Bill’s story. I focused on the other parts of the exhibit: how Bill’s story would have happened if he had grown up in Iowa, and how disability and advocacy have changed and expanded over the years. 

Q: What are some of the most surprising things you learned during your research for the exhibit?  

Knights: It’s amazing how many people still feel so much love for Bill Sackter, even 40 years after his passing. He was only here in Iowa City for eight years, but people (especially if they were here during those years) still light up when you mention his name. I want to share some of that love with those who didn’t get the chance to know Bill—and capture some of the magic by getting people to tell their stories! 

Ferrier: It really surprised me that so much of this disability-related history happened not so long ago. For instance, the last of the “Ugly Laws” in the United States, which were designed to keep people with visible disabilities from appearing in public, were repealed in 1974. Disability rights advocate Judy Heumann led a group of demonstrators in the occupation of a federal office in San Francisco in 1977—the year I was born. The Americans with Disabilities Act was signed into law in 1990—right before I went into high school. These things only happened in the last 50 years. 
 

Q: What are some of your favorite objects on display in the exhibit? 

Knights: I’m so excited about the beauty bar going into the exhibit. It is such an iconic and beloved piece that people remember from Wild Bill’s in North Hall, and we are so lucky that the School of Social Work was willing to loan it to us for the exhibit. The beauty bar is an old cosmetics counter from the historic Mott’s Drug Store in downtown Iowa City and dates to the 1940s. At Wild Bill’s, it was used as a check-out counter for awhile and most recently was used to display School of Social Work merchandise for sale. I actually don’t know the story of how it came to be part of the coffee shop, so maybe someone who visits will be able to share that story with us! 

Ferrier: There are several notes the size of business cards that Bill had for Iowa City bus drivers. The notes explained the route, times, and stops that Bill would need to take on certain days. The notes are all small enough to fit into a pocket. They are well-worn after being carried and handled daily by Bill. I have heard stories of Bill sometimes getting off the bus at the wrong stop, so perhaps they didn’t always do what they were meant to. Or maybe that was why they were made by one of Bill’s buddies, such as Mae Driscoll, Rabbi Jeff Portman, or another treasured friend. 
 

Q: What do you hope visitors will take away from their time in the exhibit?  

Knights: I hope that people will leave with a feeling of belonging and inclusion—not just feeling included and valued themselves, but also ready to share that with others. To be like Bill, who loved everyone and tried his best and wanted to make people smile. To be like Barry and Bev Morrow, and Bill’s many other buddies, who accepted and loved Bill just as he was and helped make space for him. To tell stories and find common ground and have genuine care for one another. 

There’s so much we can never know about Bill Sackter. What we have learned about him and who he was can’t fit in this one exhibit, but we hope we can give people the sense that everybody’s story matters. 

 
Q: Do you have any advice for people with disabilities on campus?  

Ferrier: As someone with an acquired physical disability, I am fortunate to be in a community where there are so many thoughtful and supportive people and colleagues who assisted me to get to where I am today. I would advise people with disabilities to seek out and find groups that fit what they need. There are resources for students, faculty, and staff such as the UI Students for Disability Advocacy & Awareness (UISDAA), the Council on Disability Awareness (CDA), Student Disability Services (SDS), Faculty and Staff Disability Services (FSDS). Resources for the community such as the Center for Disabilities and Development (CDD), or support groups at the UI Hospitals & Clinics, podcasts like Disability Exchange from Iowa’s University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (UCEDD). These are just places to start your search. 

Visit lib.uiowa.edu/gallery for open hours and updates about free exhibit-related events. All are welcome.