Joseph Stillwell Cain, Mobile's most famous Carnival figure, is credited with singlehandedly resurrecting Mardi Gras after the Civil War. The ultimate in terms of Carnival cult figures, Cain has a day named after him, after all!  "Of Men and of Myths" examines s the facts and fictions of Joe Cain's contributions to Mobile's greatest living tradition of Carnival. In no way taking away from the great man, this exhibit shows he was one among many who revitalized Carnival in the 1860s. "Of Men and Myths" looks back to those mystic societies that established Carnival in the United States and to the present by way of occasions and groups inspired by Joe Cain's mystique - Joe Cain Day, the Joe Cain Classic Run, the Merry Widows of Joe Cain, and the Mistresses of Joe Cain. Those groups established just prior to Joe Cain's unprecedented 1868 performance are given special highlight. No celebration of Joe Cain is complete without mention of Julian Lee Rayford. "Of Men and Myths" is the first exhibit to dive into the life and art of this influential Mobile Renaissance man. It was Rayford, who was a sculptor, folklorist, novelist, and painter, who capitulated Joe Cain to the highest levels of Mardi Gras stardom. Rare, and previously unexhibited, drawings, sculptures, and documents shed light on the man behind a Carnival icon. "Of Men and of Myths" is a once in a lifetime show that peels back the mask of Carnival mysticism yet celebrates the culture behind its enduring magic.