Historical Black Kentuckians tell their stories in new augmented reality experience

Dotted across Louisville and nearby counties are colorful new displays. Each amplifies an important Black Kentuckian from history. People like Civil Rights leader Whitney M. Young Jr., first Kentucky Derby-winning jockey Oliver Lewis and deadly train wreck survivor Annie Reed.

There’s a QR code on each plaque. When scanned, the Black Kentuckian comes to life on a smartphone, explaining who they are.

The Kentucky Black Trailblazers project spans multiple counties, but Shelby County’s tourism department spearheaded the effort.

“We had [American Rescue Plan Act] funding available, and the state of Kentucky Tourism, gave us an assignment to come up with an idea that was transformational, something that you would never have money for,” said Janette Marson, president and CEO of ShelbyKY Tourism.

Marson said she had the idea to combine history trials with augmented reality. Organizers partnered with Tactic, a company that has made AR experiences for brands like the 19 Crimes wine , to bring the Black trailblazers to life.

Before Tactic’s team could create the visuals for the experience, they needed to know who they’d be highlighting.

For people like Whitney M. Young Jr., there’s plenty of existing audio and quotes that can be used to inform the AR, but other figures required more research.

That’s where Black historians, like Sanda Jones, come in.

Jones grew up in Shelby County. Stories about Black figures from the county and throughout the state were passed down to her orally. It kindled her interest as a child, and that continued into adulthood.

“Working on this project, with [ShelbyKy Tourism], being able to tell these stories, it has just been emotional,” Jones said. “But it's made me very proud that we have a community that is embracing these stories.”

Jones said Black history wasn’t a large part of her curriculum growing up in Shelby County. She said being able to tell these stories now and have them documented has been surreal.

“Whether you're Black or white, history to me is history, it shouldn't have a color. But it does, because you see less Black stories told,” Jones said.

One of the Shelby County experiences features members of the Harlem Hellfighters, an all-Black combat unit from World War I. Five of the members were buried in Shelbyville’s Calvary Cemetery. Jones was the person who brought their final resting place to Shelby County’s tourism attention.

Jones herself heard about the Hellfighters' burial grounds for the first time from someone in Louisville, but she is digging deeper into the history herself.

“Just to have Hellfighters here in our community and not even know it, you know, buried in a historic Black cemetery, I couldn't be any more prouder but very sad because I didn't know that history, ” Jones said.

Part of the goal of the Kentucky Black Trailblazers experience is to help preserve Black stories for future generations.

“A lot of people think history is about old people and old stuff that nobody really wants to hear about history,” Jones said. “I think by using this augmented reality, that is bringing a connection there because you're actually seeing a moving part.”

The current Kentucky Black Trailblazers experience isn't exhaustive. Creators said it’s a start in highlighting important Black Kentuckians.

“I hope that truly people are transformed, that they feel something and realize that these people who should have had a light shone on them years and years ago made incredible impacts to Kentuckians… to the United States,” Marson.