Date on Master's Thesis/Doctoral Dissertation

5-2023

Document Type

Master's Thesis

Degree Name

M.A.

Department

History

Degree Program

History, MA

Committee Chair

Crothers, Glenn

Committee Member

Jamison, Felicia

Committee Member

Sheffield, Caroline

Author's Keywords

Bourbon; slavery; African American history; public history; Kentucky history

Abstract

Bourbon distilling is a multi-billion-dollar industry that draws hundreds of thousands of tourists to Kentucky each year. However, the industry usually overlooks or ignores the historic and ongoing contributions of African Americans. This thesis offers distilleries methods for incorporating into their public tours the often-difficult history of free and enslaved Black participation in the bourdon industry. Change requires cooperation between corporate leaders, public historians, and relevant stakeholders to forge new narratives and retrain tour guides. Based on primary and secondary research, in-person visits to distilleries, and interviews with public historians, this thesis explores free and enslaved African American contributions to bourbon distilling between the eighteenth and twenty-first centuries, documents how some distilleries are creating more inclusive narratives, and highlights how key stakeholders are working to diversify the industry. From these sources, the thesis offers a roadmap that distilleries can follow to revise their narratives and broaden their clientele.

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