
Louisville to Liberty: The Blackburns' Journey
Tuesday, July 14, 2026Frazier History Museum
MuseumArts & Crafts
In the afternoon of July 3, 1831, Thornton and Lucie Blackburn made a daring escape from their enslavers in Louisville, Kentucky, eventually making it to Toronto, Canada. Their story was nearly forgotten until archaeologists discovered their home while working in a school yard. Site director Dr. Karolyn Smardz Frost spent more than 20 years piecing together Thornton and Lucie's story. From her research, Dr. Smardz Frost wrote I've Got a Home in Glory Land: A Lost Tale of the Underground Railroad