Beshear pardons 43 jailed for assisting the Underground Railroad
FOX23 News at 9 p.m.
FRANKFORT, Ky. (KBSI) — Gov. Andy Beshear pardoned 43 people Monday, June 15, 2026 who were imprisoned for helping others escape slavery.
Beshear announced the executive order ahead of Juneteenth and proclaimed Friday, June 19, 2026, as Juneteenth National Freedom Day in Kentucky.
“When we have a chance to correct a historical wrong, we should do it,” Beshear said. “These leaders are heroes — not criminals — and they and their families deserve the justice of having their names cleared.”
The governor’s executive order includes 43 individuals who helped enslaved people seek freedom through efforts connected to the Underground Railroad and other escape routes.
Among them was Elijah Anderson, a free Black man who historians say helped about 1,000 people reach freedom. Authorities arrested Anderson in Louisville, and he later died in the Kentucky State Penitentiary.
The order also includes Julett Miles, a Black woman who crossed the Ohio River to rescue her children after learning they were going to be sold. She was arrested and later died in prison.
Beshear also pardoned Thomas Brown, an Irish immigrant who was arrested at age 60 for helping people escape slavery. Brown endured severe beatings during his two years in prison before his release.
Rev. Andrew Baskin, a professor emeritus of African and African American Studies at Berea College, joined Beshear for the signing ceremony.
“We’re talking about individuals who knew the law was unjust and immoral, and they were willing to suffer the consequences,” Baskin said. “What Gov. Beshear did today helps correct part of the mistakes that have happened in Kentucky.”
Historian James Prichard said the pardons highlight a chapter of Kentucky history that often receives little attention.
Beshear said more posthumous pardons could follow and encouraged Kentuckians to submit information about others who helped enslaved people reach freedom.
The governor also reaffirmed June 19 as an executive branch holiday. He established the holiday in 2024 after lawmakers did not pass legislation making Juneteenth a state holiday.
Juneteenth commemorates the end of slavery in the United States and honors the contributions and sacrifices of African Americans throughout the nation’s history.
