Belle of Louisville to launch 'Journeys to Freedom' cruises this summer

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- The Belle of Louisville will partner with a project this summer that aims to teach the names and stories of Black men, women and children who were enslaved aboard its riverboat.

"Journeys to Freedom: (Un)Known Project River Cruise" will begin June 9. The theatric river cruises will tell the stories of two families seeking to escape enslavement by boat.

“Through storytelling, participants learn about enslavement in Kentucky, the hidden places that tell the stories of so many that have long been labeled as unknown. They are unknown no longer," said Hannah Drake, co-lead artist of the (Un)Known Project.

Each passenger on the boat will be given a color-coded passport and assigned a persona during the cruise.

"These on-the-water experiences are going to be particularly powerful, given the geographic and symbolic role the Ohio River played to enslaved people," said Krista Snider, CEO of Belle of Louisville Riverboats.

Tickets start at $45 for adults and seniors, while VIP tickets cost $150. To purchase tickets to the cruises, click here.