Work Along the River Jordan

740 Wilkinson Blvd.,Frankfort KY 40601

07 August, 2021

Description

Join Dr. David Ross Anderson of the University of Louisville as he leads us along the Kentucky River in a presentation on river labor in KY. THIS EVENT IS POSTPONED TO 2021 DUE TO COVID19 Come aboard the KYSU Kentucky River Thorobred for a presentation by Dr. David Ross Anderson of the University of Louisville entitled: “Work Along the River Jordan: African American River Labor in the Ohio River Valley, and the Development of Black America” . This free presentation will examine the economic and social importance of African American river workers along the Ohio River in the nineteenth century. Enslaved and free workers were vital to a growing western economy, but also connected African Americans across hundreds of miles, contributed to the growth of urban black communities such as in Louisville, and often aided in escapes. The Ohio River has often been called the River Jordan because it marked the boundary between free and slave states, but the Ohio River Valley was really a region of contradictions: a complex transportation corridor where there was broad support for slavery, but also unusual opportunities for African American mobility and communication. This talk will examine these contradictions, as well as the role that river workers played in the development of modern black America. About Dr. David Ross Anderson David Anderson received his Ph.D. from the University of Pennsylvania, and has published on American and African American poetry. He is interested in neglected African American poetry of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, the Harlem Renaissance, environmentalism and African American literature, and poetic forms and traditions. He frequently teaches courses in African American literature, (early) American literature, and poetry. This event is free and open to the public with required registration. Great for the entire family! All attendees under 18 must be accompanied by a parent/guardian at all times. Limited seating for each excursion. Registration is required. Schedule 11:30-12:00pm Registration/Check-In 12:00pm Cruise begins 3:00pm Event conclusion Please review important information from our hosts, Kentucky State University: General Cruise Information Boarding Location Map Co-founded and established by Trevor M. Claiborn and Ashley C. Smith, this event series is developed to connect Kentuckians across the state's black landscape. Events are presented in partnership with farmers, growers, and producers in efforts to support this severely underrepresented demographic. We are business partners who are passionately spurred on about celebrating the agricultural roots within black cultural heritage that seeded and grew America.