Journeys to Freedom: (Un)Known Project River Cruise is an immersive river excursion commissioned by IDEAS xLab and written and directed by artist Sidney Monroe Williams (they/them) that took place aboard the Belle of Louisville in June 2022.
While floating along the Ohio River between Kentucky — a slave state — and Indiana — a free state — participants were immersed in the stories of two families seeking to escape enslavement by boat.
When boarding the Belle for the rivercruise, each guest will receive a color-coded Boarding Pass and was assigned a persona for the event. The Boarding Pass gave different passengers access to various spaces throughout the boat as the performance progressed. Poker and blackjack, vendors from MELANaire Marketplace, and food and beverages were be available for purchase throughout the cruise.
The VIP Experience welcomed guests onto the Belle before General Admission boarding began to enjoy cocktails with leaders of the (Un)Known Project, which uses arts installation and experiences to honor the names and tell the stories of Black enslaved people in Louisville, Ky and beyond.
Learn more about (Un)Known Project at unknownprojecttrail.com
Research and Source Materials
The Escape of William Wells Brown
I've Got a Home in Glory Land - Karolyn Smardz Frost
The Underground Railroad: Next Stop, Toronto! - Shadd, Cooper, Frost
A slavery-era instrument is on the National Mall, singing 'songs of liberation' - NPR