Gov. Beshear posthumously pardons 43 Kentuckians who aided enslaved people seeking freedom
FOX23 News at 9 p.m
FRANKFORT, Ky., (KBSI) — Gov. Andy Beshear has posthumously pardoned 43 individuals who were imprisoned for helping enslaved people escape to freedom, ahead of the Juneteenth holiday.
The governor announced the pardons Monday, calling the recipients heroes whose actions deserved recognition and justice.
Among those pardoned were Elijah Anderson, a free Black man and Underground Railroad conductor who helped an estimated 1,000 people reach freedom before dying in the Kentucky State Penitentiary; Julett Miles, a formerly enslaved woman who was imprisoned after attempting to free her children; and Thomas Brown, an Irish immigrant who was jailed and beaten after assisting enslaved people seeking freedom.
Beshear signed an executive order listing all 43 individuals and was joined by historian James Prichard and the Rev. Andrew Baskin, a professor emeritus of African and African American Studies at Berea College.
The governor also proclaimed June 19, 2026, as Juneteenth National Freedom Day in Kentucky. Juneteenth commemorates the end of slavery in the United States and honors the contributions and struggles of African Americans.
In 2024, Beshear designated Juneteenth as an executive branch holiday after lawmakers did not approve legislation to make it an official state holiday.
The governor said additional posthumous pardons may be considered and encouraged Kentuckians to submit information about others who were punished for helping enslaved people escape to freedom.
The pardons are part of a broader effort by the Beshear administration to recognize individuals who fought against slavery and advance initiatives focused on equality and inclusion.
