Black History Month Event Explores Kentucky Slave History

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Feb. 26, 2018) — As part of Black History Month, several University of Kentucky organizations will host a Kentucky Humanities Council’s presentation of “Captive: Suing for Freedom,” the real story of a slave of a prominent Lexington leader, beginning 8 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 27, in White Hall Classroom Building Room 110. The event is free and open to the public.

“Captive: Suing for Freedom” is a one-act play chronicling the story of Charlotte Dupuy, a Kentucky slave of Henry Clay. The play will share Dupuy’s dangerous attempt to gain her freedom by suing her politically-connected master for the freedom of her children and herself. To read more of Dupuy’s story, visit the Kentucky Humanities Council website at www.kyhumanities.org/chautauquacharacters.html.

Dupuy will be portrayed by Elizabeth Lawson, a multicultural education specialist from Lexington. Lawson, a gerontology graduate of St. Edward’s University, specializes in early American, African-American and Kentucky history. She seeks to motivate and encourage people of all cultural backgrounds through her work.

The program with Lawson will share Dupuy’s story while making a connection to life in Kentucky and the challenges faced in modern day slavery. The presentation will last 30 minutes and will be followed by a Q&A. This event is being presented to provide a safe race-related conversation and to offer resources to those interested in taking the next step in their own ethnic journey.

"Captive" is made possible by the following organizations and offices: Cru, Office for Institutional Diversity, Hillel, Reformed University Fellowship, Chi Alpha, UK Baptist Campus Ministries, Campus Outreach, Navigators and St. Augustine’s Chapel.