The 981 Project Podcast

Hello friends,

My personal update is short and sweet: I am now a mother-in-law. My eldest son tied the knot on June 6 in a lovely garden ceremony. Arizona-based family joined us in North Carolina and we played cards, had a cookout, and sorted through a big box of family photos. Oh, the memories—remembered and made!

Life is short, my friends. Give love the room it needs to overcome your fears.

June has always been a month of thresholds—marriages, migrations, and moments that ripple outward. One such moment happened fifty-six years ago, when a river caught fire and Americans could no longer look away.

On June 22, 1969, the Cuyahoga River in Cleveland caught fire for at least the thirteenth time. That blaze gained national attention—especially after Time magazine published dramatic photos (actually from the 1952 fire) and highlighted it as a symbol of unchecked industrial pollution.

What does this have to do with the Ohio River? The Cuyahoga fire became a tipping point for public awareness. It wasn’t the largest fire, or the most destructive—but it was the one America saw. And it helped spark a movement that culminated in the Clean Water Act of 1972.

The Ohio River, running through the heart of the country’s manufacturing corridor, never made headlines for catching fire, but it was every bit as polluted. Its legacy was slow violence: toxic water, chronic illness, ecological collapse—and a long path toward repair.

This month’s quiz explores the murky legacy of Ohio River pollution.

But first, let’s go down Memory Lane with this SNL skit for Swill Water, with pitchman Bill Murray. (Swill is reputedly sourced from Lake Erie).

Note to my fantastic new subscribers:

Monthly trivia is for sport. It’s not a test of intelligence or character. I couldn’t answer these questions without a significant amount of research, either! Do your best and enjoy learning something new.

Would you share this quiz with someone else? Please?

QUESTIONS

Answers in the footnotes. Have fun (despite the subject matter)!

* True or false? Matchbox once sold a Swill Water delivery truck toy.

* How did the environmental crises of the Cuyahoga and Ohio rivers differ in terms of public impact and perception? More than one applies.

* The Cuyahoga River caught fire multiple times, becoming a national symbol of pollution.

* The Ohio River was less polluted than the Cuyahoga and received little attention.

* The Ohio River suffered chronic industrial and sewage pollution but lacked a dramatic event to trigger public outrage.

* Both rivers experienced visible and dangerous pollution, but only the Cuyahoga catalyzed federal environmental reform.

* Which of the following factors help explain why the Cuyahoga River caught fire while the Ohio River did not, despite both suffering significant industrial pollution? More than one may apply.

* The Cuyahoga's lower stretch is slow-moving and canal-like, allowing flammable substances to accumulate.

* The Ohio River's faster current and larger volume dispersed pollutants more effectively.

* The Cuyahoga passed directly through dense clusters of oil refineries and steel mills.

* The Ohio River was better regulated and kept cleaner during the industrial era.

* Which of the following statements accurately describe historical and current restrictions on swimming in the Ohio River? Choose more than one answer.

* In many industrial-era cities, swimming in the Ohio River was banned or strongly discouraged due to health risks.

* The Clean Water Act immediately made all sections of the Ohio River safe for recreational use.

* Combined sewer overflows (CSOs) still lead to modern-day swimming advisories after heavy rain.

* ORSANCO (The Ohio River Valley Water Sanitation Commission) and local agencies have continued to monitor bacteria levels and advise against swimming in certain areas.

* What were typical forms of industrial waste discharged into the Ohio River before the 1970s? Choose as many as apply.

* Heavy metals

* Oil and grease

* Plastic pellets

* Slaughterhouse refuse

* How can pollution from a small industrial spill—like one near Union Carbide’s Institute, West Virginia plant in 1985—ultimately affect the Ohio River, even if toxins aren’t dumped directly into it? More than one applies.

* The chemicals can travel through connected creeks and tributaries that feed the river

* Rainfall and groundwater flow can carry pollutants downstream over time

* Some pollutants may settle in soil or sediment but later remobilize during storms or floods

* The Ohio River watershed includes many smaller waterways that drain into it

* You may have missed the 2019 film, Dark Waters. Based on a true story, the film follows Rob Bilott, a corporate defense attorney (played by Mark Ruffalo) who takes on an environmental lawsuit against DuPont. The case centers on decades of PFAS pollution in Parkersburg, West Virginia, where DuPont knowingly released toxic chemicals, evaded regulation, and spread PFAS globally—into drinking water, bloodstreams, and ecosystems. For the record, PFAS is the entire chemical family, while PFOA is one (very toxic and infamous) member. Which of the following elements depicted in the film Dark Waters are factually accurate? More than one applies.

* DuPont classified PFOA as proprietary and did not inform regulators of its environmental impact

* The plant’s smokestacks regularly emitted PFOA-containing dust, contributing to air pollution downwind

* The EPA had already banned PFOA by the time Rob Bilott filed his lawsuit

* Blood testing revealed that nearly the entire local population had PFOA in their systems

* Which pollution incident is generally regarded as the worst single environmental disaster on the Ohio River during the 20th century?

* The 1964 barge explosion and oil spill near Owensboro, Kentucky

* The 1988 Ashland petroleum tank spill that contaminated the Ohio River and Pittsburgh’s drinking water

* The 1950s mass fish kill near Cincinnati due to raw industrial sewage discharges

* The 1977 toxic waste release from a chemical plant near Louisville, Kentucky, following a flood

* Why does pollution in the Ohio River often spike after heavy rain? One of these answers is incorrect.

* Combined sewer systems overflow and release untreated waste into the river

* Rainfall increases groundwater filtration, cleaning up the river

* Stormwater runoff carries agricultural chemicals and animal waste into the watershed

* Urban surfaces funnel oil, debris, and heavy metals into the river via storm drains

* Which of the following factors contributed to the harmful algal bloom (HAB) that covered over 600 miles of the Ohio River in 2015? More than one is correct.

* Excess fertilizer and manure runoff from farmland

* High summer temperatures and low river flow

* Industrial oil spills from upriver plants

* Heavy rainfall flushing nutrients into the river

Intermission (Good News!)

The Ohio River Way National Water Trail has been designated as a national water trail, joining the Lewis & Clark National Historic Trail as part of the National Trails System.

The Ohio River Way is a 308-mile water trail spanning sections of Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana. The route takes paddlers—kayaks and canoes as well as motorized watercraft—past small river towns and metropolitan centers like Louisville. Falls of the Ohio and gateway communities Jeffersonville, Clarksville and New Albany are an integral part of the Ohio River Way. Source.

ANSWERS

I recently visited a restored archeological site in the Sonoran Desert. Today it’s known as Besh Ba Gowah, a term roughly translated from the Apache meaning “place of metal.”

Besh Ba Gowah made me realize how little I knew about native people in the Ohio River Valley, and that’s what inspired this month’s trivia quiz.

Did it ever occur to you that there are no Indian reservations in the Ohio River border states? Why is that?

Today, the absence of federally recognized reservations in the Ohio River border states is largely due to three factors: 1) historical displacement, 2) lack of territorial continuity leading to assimilation, and 3) the erosion of Native sovereignty through federal policies that led to economic control of these peoples by the U.S. government.

While some tribes in the region, like the Shawnee and Miami, have regained federal recognition in recent decades, they do not have large, contiguous reservations like those in the western U.S.

You might first think this happened as a result of the Indian Removal Act of 1830, which initiated a mass exodus of Native Americans, particularly from the southeastern U.S., to what is now Oklahoma, known as the Trail of Tears. While many tribes in the Ohio River border states were forcibly removed, some, like the Shawnee and Miami, were fragmented and dispersed across various regions. Those who remained were often not granted land rights or reservations.

However, the effort to erase Indian peoples and culture began much earlier than that Act. Land treaties and military conflict forced tribes in the Ohio Valley to cede large portions of their land. The Treaty of Greenville (1795), which followed the defeat of Native forces in the Battle of Fallen Timbers (1794), is a notable example of such a land cession. Tribes were often coerced or manipulated into giving up their territories in exchange for meager concessions, setting the stage for further removal.

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the U.S. government adopted policies of assimilation aimed at integrating Native Americans into mainstream American society. The Dawes Act of 1887, which sought to break up tribal lands into individual allotments, further weakened Native communities and prevented the establishment of reservations.

As a result of these policies, Native American populations in the Ohio River border states were marginalized, and many tribes lost federal recognition, making it difficult for them to claim land for reservations. Tribal members were often forced into state-controlled systems, which did not allow for the formation of reservations.

This website by the Chickasaw Nation is a treasure trove of video interviews and other resources.

Now on to the quiz!

Note to my fantastic new subscribers:

Monthly trivia is for sport. It’s not a test of intelligence or character. I couldn’t answer these questions without a significant amount of research, either! Do your best and enjoy learning something new.

Would you share this quiz with someone else? Please?

QUESTIONS

Answers in the footnotes. Have fun!

* What was the primary effect of the 1763 Treaty of Paris, following the end of the French and Indian War, on Native American tribes living in the Ohio River Valley?

* It granted Native Americans sovereignty over their lands

* It established new boundaries that restricted Native Americans to specific territories

* It allowed Native Americans to trade freely with European settlers.

* It recognized Native American alliances with the French

* The Treaty of Greenville (1795) was significant because it marked a major land cession by Native tribes in the Ohio River Valley. What did the U.S. government promise in exchange? More than one may apply.

* Monetary compensation and trade goods for the land

* A formal apology for the destruction of Native villages

* Military support in protecting Native lands from further encroachment

* The return of some land taken by settlers

* Which Native American leader, who fought to protect his people’s land from European encroachment in the Ohio River Valley, became well-known after his leadership during the Battle of Tippecanoe in 1811?

* Tecumseh

* Pontiac

* Blue Jacket

* Standing Bear

* What were the main reasons for passing the Indian Removal Act of 1830? More than one applies.

* To relocate Native American tribes to reservations in the western territories

* To provide land for European settlers to expand westward

* To grant Native American tribes sovereignty over their lands

* To forcibly assimilate Native Americans into European-American agricultural practices

* The U.S. government created reservations for Native American tribes in the 19th century. Legislators didn’t come up with this concept on their own. What practices elsewhere inspired this policy? Yes, this is an essay question.

* Why were Native American tribes in the Ohio River border states (like the Shawnee and Miami) particularly vulnerable to displacement during the early 19th century? More than one may apply.

* They had no alliances with other tribes

* Their lands were in the path of settlers moving westward

* They lacked military power to resist U.S. forces

* They had assimilated into European farming practices

* Which of the following Native American tribes played a role in the resistance against European settlers in the Ohio River Valley during the 18th century? (Select all that apply)

* Shawnee

* Miami

* Iroquois

* Cherokee

* Which factor made the Dawes Act of 1887 particularly damaging to Native tribes in the Ohio River border states?

* It forced Native Americans to abandon their communal way of life and adopt European-style farming practices.

* It granted Native American tribes full autonomy over their lands, allowing them to govern themselves.

* It divided tribal lands into individual allotments, causing a loss of collective control and leading to the sale of surplus lands to non-Native settlers.

* It created permanent reservations for Native tribes, offering them protection from further displacement by European settlers.

* I can’t resist another Tecumseh question. The War of 1812 was a conflict between the United States and Great Britain, driven by issues such as trade restrictions, impressment of American sailors, and British support of Native American resistance to U.S. expansion. Which of the following statements about Tecumseh and his role in the War of 1812 are correct? Select all that apply.

* Tecumseh fought alongside British forces against the United States during the War of 1812.

* Tecumseh’s primary goal was to defeat the British and secure Native American sovereignty.

* Tecumseh led the Shawnee and other Native American tribes in an alliance with the British to resist U.S. expansion.

* Tecumseh was killed in the Battle of New Orleans, where he fought for the American cause.

* Which of the following Native American tribes originally from the Ohio River Border States have gained federal recognition in recent years? More than one may apply.

* Shawnee Tribe

* Miami Tribe of Oklahoma

* Delaware Tribe of Indians

* Pequot Tribe

ANSWERS

I’m sending this from somewhere between North Carolina and Phoenix, Arizona during my trip to visit family. I had to delay my motorcycle trip by five days waiting for the turbulent storms to dissipate in the lower Midwest and upper South, which has led to extremely high waters along our beloved Ohio River. The Associated Press has revived historical memories of the Great Flood of 1937, which killed 385 people and left approximately one million homeless from Pittsburgh to Cairo, Illinois.

I wrote my last newsletter about the Covington flood wall murals, which have been doing strong work this spring, and I’m continuing the theme today with flood wall mural trivia.

Note to my fantastic new subscribers:

Monthly trivia is for sport. It’s not a test of intelligence or character. I couldn’t answer these questions without a significant amount of research, either! Do your best and enjoy learning something new. Oh, and if you do, would you share the quiz with someone else?

QUESTIONS

Answers in the footnotes.

* Who painted the Covington flood wall murals?a) Diego Rivera started them before his death. His large frescoes helped establish the mural movement.b) Robert Dafford painted them all. He’s an internationally acclaimed mural artist and blues enthusiast from Louisiana who has painted more than 400 murals in the United States and Europe.c) Thomas Hart Benton, a Missouri native who was at the forefront of the Regionalist art movement. His fluid, sculpted figures showed everyday people in scenes of life in the United States.d) Shepard Fairey, an American contemporary artist, activist and founder of OBEY Clothing who emerged from the skateboarding scene.

* What is the primary purpose of the murals? Only one applies.a) To advertise local businessesb) To beautify the city with abstract artc) To depict and preserve the region’s layered historyd) To showcase modern Kentucky life

* What river(s) does the Covington flood wall protect against? More than one may apply.a) Kentucky Riverb) Licking Riverc) Ohio Riverd) Sciota River

* The mural that features the Roebling Suspension Bridge highlights a major architectural achievement linking Covington and Cincinnati. What role did this bridge play in regional commerce, and why was its construction significant for Covington’s identity? More than one answer may apply.

* It facilitated the transport of goods between Covington and Cincinnati, strengthening the region’s role as a key industrial hub.

* Until the invention of the Model T, it was primarily a pedestrian bridge that connected two cultural districts in the region, boosting tourism and art exchange.

* Its engineering innovation—as the first major suspension bridge in the U.S. to use wire cables—made it an architectural marvel of its time while helping solidify Covington's identity by connecting it to the economic and cultural heart of Cincinnati.

* It was the first bridge to connect Covington to the rest of the United States, fostering a boom in agricultural exports.

* The mural known as Resident Artists, features Frank Duveneck and John Farney. Which of the following is true of these artists? Choose wisely.

* The inclusion of John Farney and Frank Duveneck suggests that Covington’s cultural history was primarily shaped by international art movements rather than local artists.

* The inclusion of Frank Duveneck and John Farney highlights Covington’s strong cultural and artistic legacy, which extended beyond its industrial growth in the late 19th century.

* A mural depicting the Latonia Race Track shows a lively day at what was once one of the most prestigious Thoroughbred tracks in the country. Which of the following is true about the mural and what it represents, historically? Choose one.

* In the mural, the jockey in red silks wears a badge with the initials “A.J.” This is widely understood to be a tribute to Alonzo “Lonnie” Clayton, one of the most successful Black jockeys in American horse racing history.

* The mural shows the grand reopening of the racetrack in the 1950s, after World War II prompted a decades-long closure.

* The jockeys in the mural are all modeled after famous Triple Crown winners, despite none ever racing at Latonia.

* The mural known as Covington Churches features several of Covington’s historically and architecturally significant churches, depicting the city’s religious diversity. True or false: One of the houses of worship in that mural is a Jewish temple.

* Also depicted in that mural is the Western Baptist Theological Institute, founded in Covington in the 1840s. The seminary owned a large amount of land in the region. What happened to this land after the seminary dissolved over disagreements about whether ministers could enslave people?

a) The land was sold to local businesses for commercial development.b) It was repurposed as a public park and remains a popular site for community events.c) The land became part of Northern Kentucky University's original campus and other civic developments.d) The land was used to create a historic landmark to honor the seminary’s contributions to education.

* The mural known as 1913: Federal Ball Park captures the energy of a baseball game in the early 20th-century with players, fans, and the iconic stadium in the background. True or false: Federal Ball Park was the home of the Cincinnati Reds before they moved to Crosley Field in 1912.

* Which of the following best describes the challenges and benefits of integrating more murals into Covington’s urban landscape, considering recent initiatives the development of immersive public art?

* Mural expansion would likely face little resistance, with most community members favoring its aesthetic value and historical preservation benefits.

* Integrating more murals would enhance Covington’s cultural identity, but it could be challenged by concerns over historical accuracy, economic costs, and the preservation of existing architecture.

* Covington is committed to expanding its mural project as part of an effort to revitalize the city and attract tourists.

* The city of Covington is focused on creating new murals specifically to erase older, controversial historical representations.

INTERMISSION

Mark your calendars if you live between Portsmouth, Ohio and Louisville, Kentucky. For the fifth year, paddlers will complete the Ohio River Way Challenge, an extraordinary expedition in 30-foot voyager canoes from May 5-15. Details here!

I can’t make it this year, but it’s on my calendar for 2026!

ANSWERS

In 2023, I wrote about the flood wall murals in Covington, Kentucky, and the stories they tell have stayed with me. Robert Dafford, a historical muralist, led the team that painted scenes capturing the city’s development along the Ohio River as well as similar projects in Paducah, and in Portsmouth, Ohio. From the first Americans to call the region home and the colonists who displaced them, to the influence of German immigrants and religious communities, Dafford’s artistry can turn even the most disinterested onlooker into a history lover.

Dafford’s murals are more than decorative—they’re acts of historical recovery. The Meeting at the Point initially seems like a typical scene of early American exploration, but a closer look reveals a Native American figure in the background—a silent witness to the coming displacement. Kennedy's Ferry and Landing celebrates economic prosperity, but if you zoom in, Dafford quietly acknowledges the labor of African-Americans powering the region’s boom. These subtle inclusions tell a fuller story—exactly the kinds now being scrubbed from classrooms, parks, and other public spaces.

This trend is not abstract. For example, in Florida and Texas, new curriculum laws restrict how teachers can address slavery, systemic racism, and the civil rights movement. Florida even blocked an Advanced Placement African American Studies course, declaring it “lacking in educational value.”

At the federal level, the National Park Service recently stripped Harriet Tubman and slavery from its Underground Railroad webpage, reframing the Underground Railroad not as a network for escape from slavery, but as “one of the most significant expressions of the American civil rights movement” that “bridged the divides of race.” This effort to obscure the harsh realities of slavery and downplay the profound struggle for freedom reflects a broader trend: sanitizing painful aspects of history.

This erasure of difficult truths is even taking place in The U.S. Naval Academy, whose library removed hundreds of books on civil rights and the Holocaust under new guidelines targeting so-called “divisive” materials.

In Washington, D.C., the words “Black Lives Matter” have been scrubbed from the street outside the White House—wiped out not by the hands of vandals, but by city officials, likely in response to shifting political winds. What began as a powerful public statement now serves as a reminder of how quickly symbols of justice and accountability can be erased.

In today’s partisan political climate, with interest groups trying to reshape what version of history we pass down and how we understand our cultural roots, I sometimes wonder if these murals would even get the civic green light today. Would Dafford’s quiet insistence on including inconvenient truths survive a public meeting?

As a travel writer, my work often takes me on a journey through history, inspired by the places I visit and the people I encounter. A small historical marker can spark deep research as I unravel stories of where people lived, fought, or died. History feels more real to me when it’s tied to specific places and personalities, and the murals invite us to engage with history in the very places where it unfolded, offering a powerful, accessible form of education. They serve as a reminder that history is not just something to learn from books, but something we can experience firsthand—woven into the fabric of the spaces we inhabit. No admission fee. No curated exhibit. Just layers of story, waiting for someone to pause and take it in.

These murals stand in sharp contrast to the ongoing debate over Confederate monuments. I’ve had many conversations with people who argue that these statues should remain—not as celebrations of the Confederacy, but as tools for teaching history. They view them as reminders of a painful past, something we shouldn’t forget or remove from public gaze. On the surface, that sounds reasonable. How can we learn from history if we don’t confront it?

But here’s the problem: Confederate monuments don’t just teach history—they glorify a past rooted in white supremacy and the brutal exploitation of human beings. These statues were often erected not in the immediate aftermath of the Civil War, but decades later, during the height of Jim Crow and the Civil Rights Movement, as assertions of white dominance. They are not neutral. They were designed to send a message—and they still do.

Removing Confederate monuments has nothing to do with erasing history—and everything to do with refusing to honor a legacy of inhumanity.

If our goal is education, there are better ways. Germany offers a powerful example. The country teaches the history of the Holocaust in depth and with gravity, but you won’t find statues of Hitler or Goebbels in public squares. Instead, you’ll find memorials to the victims—stumbling stones set into sidewalks, museums, and plaques that acknowledge the horror without glorifying its architects. The Germans chose to remember without revering.

That distinction matters. We can and must preserve history, even the darkest parts. But we don’t need to place the dark stories on pedestals—literally or figuratively. That’s why I find Dafford’s murals so powerful. They don’t scold or preach. They don’t demand a single takeaway. Instead, they offer layered stories—some easy to spot, others tucked into the background—waiting for a curious eye to catch the Native figure or the Black laborers on Kennedy’s dock.

One mural in particular, The Flight of the Garner Family depicts a quiet moment: Margaret Garner, an enslaved woman, crossing the frozen Ohio River with her family in 1856, fleeing toward freedom. It’s a tense and quiet scene: bundled figures on the ice, with Covington in the distance. Dafford doesn’t portray the tragic aftermath—Garner’s desperate act to prevent her daughter from being returned to slavery by taking the girl’s life. By illustrating the moment of flight, he invites viewers into a fuller, more complicated narrative.

As we grapple with what should be preserved in our public spaces, the murals in Covington remind us that history is more complex than we often admit. It’s not always about celebrating heroes; it’s about giving voice to the forgotten, the marginalized, and those whose stories have been silenced. By doing so, we learn not just about the past, but about who we are and who we want to be.

Stories of real people make abstract lessons tangible and relatable. They allow us to emotionally connect with history, see ourselves in the past, and better understand the world we live in today.

Here’s a video explaining the history and nuances of all the murals by author and historian Karl Lietzenmayer. Enjoy!

Hello, friends.

For my personal update, I’ve been working with Joan Lunden on her legacy memoir, which will be published in March of 2026. Joan was the longest-running female host ever on early morning television, and her post-Good Morning America career has been equally fascinating and full. I’ll let you know when she settles on a title and cover design.

Next week, I’m headed out on my motorcycle to visit family in Arizona. I'm thinking of stopping in Roswell, New Mexico, because I am a connoisseur of roadside kitsch and conspiracy theories. The weather should be splendid. I’ll post the occasional picture on Instagram if you’re interested.

I’ll be back on the Ohio River in late August/early September for a BMW motorcycle rally in Athens, Ohio. If you’d like to get together, please reach out. I’d love to meet you in person.

Alright, on to the quiz. If you’ve read The Ghosts of Eden Park, you’re familiar with the role of the Ohio River in bootlegging, but it’s been used for lots of other illicit businesses over the years. Let’s see how you do with these ten questions.

Note to my fantastic new subscribers:

Monthly trivia is for sport. It’s not a test of intelligence or character. I couldn’t answer these questions without a significant amount of research, either! Do your best and enjoy learning something new.

Would you share this quiz with someone else? Please?

QUESTIONS

Answers in the footnotes. Have fun!

* Going back to the 18th and early 19th centuries, Ohio River criminal syndicates capitalized on the river's ever-growing traffic to evade taxes or to smuggle contraband humans and goods. We’ll come back to the trafficking of humans in a later question. What goods were the basis for most of the criminal activity along the river? More than one may apply.

* Tobacco and alcohol

* Counterfeit currency

* Everyday goods like textiles and grains

* Newport, Kentucky, became a major hub for organized crime in the 1940s and 1950s while neighboring Covington, Kentucky, and Cincinnati, Ohio, did not. Which of the following reasons best explains Newport’s “success” as a crime town? More than one applies.

* It was small enough that local law enforcement could be easily influenced, but close enough to a major city (Cincinnati) to draw in big-money gambling customers.

* Figures like Newport Police Chief Frank "Screw" Andrews openly worked with crime bosses rather than against them.

* Unlike Ohio, Kentucky had looser gambling laws, creating a gray area where illegal casinos could flourish with little state interference.

* Newport had a history of vice industries dating back to the 1800s, including brothels and saloons that made illegal activity feel like "business as usual."

* Las Vegas-style casino operators, like Moe Dalitz (who later helped develop the Vegas Strip), used Newport as a testing ground before heading west.

* Newport, Kentucky, was known as a mini Las Vegas due to its numerous illegal casinos. Which famous mob family was heavily involved in running these operations? Hint: It’s the oldest of the “Five Families” that dominate the New York and New Jersey region.a) The Genovese Familyb) The Gambino Familyc) The Dalitz Family

* Which Ohio River city was used as a stand-in for New York City to film the recent gangster movie, The Alto Knights, starring Robert De Niro?

* Pittsburgh

* Cincinnati

* Louisville

* The Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 effectively criminalized freedom for escaped enslaved people, which was a major force in Ohio River border states. While it didn’t classify freedom seekers as criminals by legal definition, it subjected them to punishment, forced capture, and denial of rights in ways that mirrored criminal prosecution—without any of the legal protections given to actual criminals. Which of the following is true of this Act? More than one applies.

* Unlike other legal systems where crimes have statutes of limitations, a fugitive slave could be hunted for life—even if they had lived freely for decades.

* Anyone who helped a fugitive slave—whether by providing shelter, food, or transportation—could face fines of up to $1,000 (roughly $35,000 today) and six months in prison.

* Slavery was legal under U.S. law at the time, so escaping from bondage was considered a violation of property law, similar to stealing a horse—except the “stolen property” was the person’s own body.

* Freedom seekers were subject to hot metal branding, known as the “scar-based identification system.” This was believed to deter repeat escape attempts.

* Blackbirding is the nickname for kidnapping free Black people and illegally selling them into slavery. If you watched the movie or read the book, Ten Years a Slave you will know about this history. Which of the following statements best describes how blackbirding networks operated north of the Ohio River before the Civil War? Choose one.

* They were loosely organized groups of bounty hunters who only targeted escaped enslaved people.

* They were well-organized operations involving kidnappers, corrupt officials, and Southern enslavers who conspired to abduct free Black people.

* They were illegal and faced harsh prosecution in free states like Indiana and Ohio.

* They were primarily based in the Deep South and had no real influence in the Midwest.

* A final question on human trafficking. What’s the difference between trafficking and smuggling human beings? Yes, this is an essay question.

* The 1962 film, How the West Was Won, featured Jimmy Stewart as a mountain man floating down the Ohio River with a group. Along the way, they stop at Cave-In-Rock, Illinois, where they meet a group of pirates led by Walter Brennan's character, Alabama Colonel Hawkins. Hawkins’ character was based on a real pirate who led a gang of outlaws there after the Revolutionary War. What was the name of the notorious gang at Cave-In-Rock?

a) The James-Younger Gang (as in Jesse James)b) The Harpe Brothersc) The Exterminatorsd) The Mason Gang

* Which Ohio River city’s police chief was a Prohibition-Era bootlegger?a) Newport, Kentuckyb) Madison, Indianac) Evansville, Indianad) Paducah, Kentucky

* How did Kentucky, the heart of American bourbon production, handle Prohibition? Yes, this is an essay question, but I have faith in you.

INTERMISSION

Did you watch the Ken Burns documentary Prohibition? Here’s the trailer.

ANSWERS

Hello friends!

I don’t often share personal news here, but exceptional times call for exceptional correspondence. As I mentioned in my other newsletter, I’m taking comfort in simple pleasures these days, including knitting and crocheting while binge listening to the Thursday Murder Club series. The movie adaptation is coming out on Netflix this year.

Here’s an afghan I finished (left) and another that I’m making for my son’s birthday in March (right). I’m sprinting to the finish with that one!

I hope you are able to find something to do with your hands or body to balance some of the negativity that’s relentlessly assaulting our heads and hearts.

Now, on to the quiz! This (loosely) ties Ohio River towns and culture with that of the ancient Greeks and Romans. I’m told Gladiator II was a stinker, and if you skipped it, I don’t think your quiz score will suffer. Good luck!

Note to my fantastic new subscribers:

Monthly trivia is for sport. It’s not a test of intelligence or character. I couldn’t answer these questions without a significant amount of research, either! Do your best and enjoy learning something new. Oh, and would you share it with someone else?

QUESTIONS

Answers in the footnotes.

* Which Kentucky city along the Ohio River is named after the first emperor of Rome?

* Nero

* Augusta

* Julius

* Hadrian

* What Indiana town takes its name from the famous site that marked the end of Sparta’s dominance in the Greek world?

* Marathon

* Troy

* Thermopylae

* Delphi

* The word “Sparta” reminds me of the 1960 movie Spartacus starring Kirk Douglas. Stay with me as I get you to an Ohio River connection. Spartacus (the book and movie) is about the historic slave revolt of 73 BCE. Spartacus's rebellion was the largest slave revolt in Roman history. The screenplay was written by the blacklisted Dalton Trumbo, who served time in a federal prison after being found in contempt of Congress in 1950. In which Ohio River city did Trumbo serve his federal sentence?

* Ashland, Kentucky

* Cincinnati, Ohio

* Marion, Illinois

* Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

* I’m not going to give you the obvious question about Cincinnatus being the namesake of Cincinnati. Instead, I’ll tell you that the city was was originally named "Losantiville." Now, can you tell me why?

* The Losant family was first to settle the area. Their land lies across from the Licking River where it empties into the Ohio.

* It was supposed to be named Loganville, but the signmaker’s apprentice screwed up the letter “g” and it looked like an “s.” The town’s fathers let it slide after the signmaker said he would donate the sign.

* It’s a portmanteau combining

* L, for Licking River

* os, Greek for mouth

* anti, Latin for opposite

* ville, French for town

* In which state would you find the Ohio River town of Rome? More than one may apply.

* Ohio

* Kentucky

* Indiana

* Illinois

* What famous Roman phrase associated with Julius Caesar means "I came, I saw, I conquered," and could describe early settlers’ ambitions along the Ohio River?

* Alea Iacta Est

* Carpe Diem

* Sic Semper Tyrannis

* Veni, Vidi, Vici

* The term "Athenaeum" derives its name from Athena, the Greek goddess of wisdom and refers to institutions dedicated to education, arts, or culture. What states have Athenaeums located near the Ohio River? More than one may apply

* Illinois

* Indiana

* Kentucky

* Ohio

* Pennsylvania

* West Virginia

* How many American states have cities, towns, counties, villages, townships and boroughs named “Athens?”

* Surprisingly, only 8

* At least 13 (a baker’s dozen)

* 27, which is more than half

* Are any Ohio River cities named for Roman deities? C’mon, this is a 50/50 opportunity to gain a point.

* Several schools and universities in the river area have mascots inspired by Greek and Roman figures. Which of the following mascots is NEITHER Greek nor Roman?

* Argonaut

* Gorlock

* Hoplite

* Minotaur

INTERMISSION

Pittsburgh in 50 Maps, is a book right up the 981 Project’s alley.

Whether you call it the Steel City, the City of Bridges, City of Champions, Hell with the Lid Off, or even the Paris of Appalachia, Pittsburgh’s distinctive character is undeniable. Pittsburgh in 50 Maps considers the boundaries of the city’s 90 distinct neighborhoods (plus Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood), the legacy of the steel industry, and how immigration continues to shape the city. You’ll also find the areas with the highest concentrations of bike lanes, supermarkets, tree cover, and fiberglass dinosaurs. Each colorful map offers a new perspective on one of America’s most consistently surprising cities and the people who live here.

ANSWERS

I’m officially an old timer, since I can give you a first-hand account of the 1977 & ‘78 blizzards. Technically, the ‘78 blizzard was more intense because of the record-breaking snowfall and extreme winds. I grew up in Central Ohio, about 30 miles east of Columbus. After a good week or so at home, we ventured out to the grocery store and were shocked that the snow reached power/phone lines.

The weather forecast called for frigid conditions and heavy snowfall, but I tell you, when I saw LIGHTNING and heard THUNDER in the middle of that storm, I thought doomsday had arrived.

Before you dismiss my observation as fanciful, this phenomenon is known as thundersnow. Watch Jim Cantore do the thundersnow dance here!

Okay, if you want to call it a “winter thunderstorm,” that’s an acceptable answer for TV Jeopardy contestants, but you’re gonna hafta accept being called a spoil sport or a kill joy by the rest of us. Your choice.

Another thing I recall is that Mom’s tropical fish aquarium froze. No, not like a block of ice, more like a slurry of the consistency we got from the old Icee Drink machines at Sears stores. I was pretty sad about the little angelfish and tetras suspended there as if Samantha on Bewitched had put a spell on them, but here’s the real miracle: those fish survived! No kidding. I think we were out of power for a good week, but once we got it back, the slurry melted and the fish swam around like nothing had happened.

With that, it’s time for January Trivia, focused on the history, pop culture, and earth science behind winter weather in the region. This should be fun!

Note to my fantastic new subscribers:

Monthly trivia is for sport. It’s not a test of intelligence or character. I couldn’t answer these questions without a significant amount of research, either! Do your best and enjoy learning something new. Oh, and would you share it with someone else?

QUESTIONS

I’m going for quality over quantity this month using these nine questions. Answers in the footnotes.

* What conditions produce thundersnow? Choose one.

* Exactly the same conditions that produce thunderstorms. Duh! That’s to say, when there is moisture, static electricity/instability, and a lifting mechanism in the atmosphere (known as convection).

* Basically the same conditions that produce thunderstorms, with the addition of snowflakes and sleet pellets that collide in the clouds, creating static charges. The static builds up until it's discharged as lightning. The lightning generates intense heat, which causes the air to rapidly expand and produce thunder.

* Where is thundersnow most common in the United States? More than one may apply.

* The Great Lakes region

* Around the Great Salt Lake

* The Northeast during nor'easters

* The entire length of the Ohio River froze during the winter of 1917-1918. What happened as a result? More than one may apply.

* As temperatures dropped, ice flows formed and sharp ice pierced ship hulls or piled on decks, weighing down and sinking 36 boats.

* The Great Ice Gorge of the Ohio River formed and finally broke on February 12, after holding firm for 58 days.

* More than 100 coal barges were lost and coal yards along the river were flooded. The shortage of coal almost shut down the power plant that supplied heat and light to Cincinnati.

* The harbor and the canal at Louisville were kept open by breaking the ice with dynamite because the ice boats weren’t up to the task.

* Now it’s time to talk about the blizzard of 1977, which was caused by a strong blocking high over the Arctic Ocean that brought Arctic air into the central and eastern United States. The cold air combined with a build-up of precipitation and wind to create a severe blizzard. Which of the following is true? More than one applies.

* January 18, 1977 the temperature in the Cincinnati area was -25°F, the coldest day in that city’s history since the National Weather Service began keeping official records in the nineteenth century.

* Louisville saw significant snowfall, compounded by high winds that created drifts several feet deep. Some rural areas nearby were completely cut off. The city opened emergency shelters in schools and other public buildings.

* Indiana farmers lost livestock due to the extreme cold and inability to transport feed.

* Huntington, West Virginia, experienced issues with frozen water mains, leading to water shortages.

* True or false: The Ohio River became a “frozen highway” in 1977 from Huntington, West Virginia, to Evansville, Indiana, because the ice could support the weight of a person and in limited areas, even motor vehicles.

* Let’s compare the ‘77 and ‘78 storms. The Blizzard of 1977 was caused by a combination of extreme cold (from Arctic air) and high winds, with snow already on the ground due to prolonged cold weather prior to the storm. The Great Blizzard of 1978 was different in which key ways? More than one is correct.

* The storm was caused by an explosive low-pressure system comparable to a Category 3 hurricane.

* Wind gusts reached up to 70 mph, causing severe drifting and whiteouts.

* Wind chills of -40°F (compared to -60°F in 1977).

* Which of the following were “breakthroughs” after these two storms? Choose as many as apply.

* The National Weather Service (NWS) recognized the need for more accurate weather prediction models, including increased reliance on satellite imagery.

* Automobile manufacturers began incorporating features such as heated seats and rear defrosters.

* Cities developed and implemented snow emergency routes and plans to ensure more efficient snow removal and emergency response in future storms.

* The North Face, Columbia Sportswear, and Patagonia intensified their focus on developing high-performance outerwear, incorporating advanced insulation materials to provide better protection against extreme cold.

* Okay, sports fans. Did either blizzard affect the Cincinnati Bengals football schedules?

* In the 1970s, the freezing of the Ohio River was a rare event, but it was not uncommon in the mid-19th century. There are several accounts of enslaved people crossing “ice bridges” over the river from Kentucky in search of freedom. Their stories, reported in newspapers and fictionalized, made up an important component of the public discourse in advance of the US Civil War. Which of the stories below is based in fact?

* Uncle Tom’s Cabin tells the story of Eliza Harris, who crossed the partially frozen Ohio River with her child to reach freedom in Ohio.

* Beloved embellishes the story of Margaret Garner, who crossed the icy river with her family into Cincinnati, where she killed her daughter, claiming it was better for her go home to God than back to slavery.

* The Price of Freedom tells the story of the Oberlin-Wellington Rescue and centers the people of Oberlin, Ohio, who sheltered Kentuckians John and Frank after they rode stolen horses across the frozen river. Found guilty of violating the Fugitive Slave Act, 37 townsmen were sentenced to three months in prison.

ANSWERS

December 16 marked the anniversary of the 1967 collapse of the bridge that crossed the Ohio River between Point Pleasant, West Virginia, and Gallipolis, Ohio. The Point Pleasant Bridge is usually called the Silver Bridge, and its collapse is often associated with the Mothman, a creature reportedly sighted in the area leading up to the disaster.

The devastating event took place at rush hour, on a bridge built in 1928 when Model Ts were in use, not the heavier cars that followed. Two cars avoided plunging into the river, but 46 people died, and 9 bodies were never recovered.

My great-grandmother lived on the Ohio side of the bridge and we crossed it several times visiting family before its collapse—yes, I’m “that” old. This month, we’ll explore bridge construction techniques, the disaster itself, the folklore and history of the Mothman, and a good bit more within ten questions.

Note to my fantastic new subscribers:

Monthly trivia is for sport. It’s not a test of intelligence or character. I couldn’t answer these questions without a significant amount of research, either! Do your best and enjoy learning something new. Answers in the footnotes.

QUESTIONS

* The Silver Bridge was named for:

* Beloved local architect John H. Silver, who was born in Point Pleasant, but died one month before the bridge opened in 1928.

* It was the first bridge in the United States to use eyebar chain suspension, a design that relied on a series of metal links (eyebars) to support the structure. Its shiny aluminum paint was innovative for the time, so the locals disregarded its official name.

* Both.

* We often tell our children that the weakest link in a chain determines its fate. This is also true of the Silver bridge collapse because…

* A tiny crack developed in the lower part of eyebar 330 due to stress corrosion cracking. When the crack grew, it caused a sudden brittle fracture of the eyebar, leading to the rapid failure of the suspension chain and the subsequent collapse of the entire bridge.

* In 1968, a junior-level bridge inspector noticed the stress on eyebar 330 and reported it to his supervisor. Instead of placing the issue on a list of items to re-inspect, the boss hid the report. Only after the bridge collapsed did the junior inspector come forward, but since he didn’t keep his own copy of the report, and the official copy of the file had been “temporarily misplaced,” the federal inspectors with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) wrote him off as a glory seeker until he was vindicated in 1997 when the file was found.

* Both.

* The eyebar chain system was considered innovative because it used fewer materials compared to traditional suspension cables. Which of the following is true about bridge design? More than one may apply.

* The eyebar design's failure mode is non-redundant, meaning that if one key component fails, the entire structure can collapse.

* Today, bridges typically use cable-stayed or suspension systems with wire cables, which are more robust and offer multiple lines of support.

* Most existing bridges with similar designs to the Silver Bridge have either been retrofitted or replaced to meet modern safety standards.

* A cryptid is an animal or creature that is said to exist but has never been proven to do so. Cryptids are often featured in folklore and other accounts, and the list includes Mothman. What other creatures are considered to be cryptids? More than one may apply.

* Bigfoot/Sasquatch

* The Loch Ness Monster

* The Jackalope

* The Flatwoods Monster aka “Braxie”

* For a year prior to the collapse of the Silver Bridge, the Mothman was sighted in the area, leading to the hypothesis that Mothman either caused or prophesied the accident. Which of the following characteristics were described by people who claimed to see the Mothman? More than one may apply.

* Height between 6 to 7 feet with a humanoid form.

* Wingspan 10 to 15 feet, resembling those of a bat or bird.

* Large, glowing red eyes said to shine or glow in the dark.

* The creature’s head seemed small or nonexistent, with the eyes appearing to be set directly into its shoulders or chest area.

* What do skeptics of Mothman believe the sightings misidentified? More than one may apply.

* Barn owls, barred owls and snowy owls.

* Herons, or sandhill cranes.

* An extra-dimensional spirit monster heralding the Age of Aquarius.

* Richard Gere and Laura Linney starred in a 2002 movie about the Silver Bridge collapse. The Mothman Prophesies is a supernatural thriller about a journalist (Gere) whose wife sees the Mothman before she dies in a car accident. Two years later, he finds himself in Point Pleasant. Were any TV shows/episodes based on the Mothman? If so, name the show(s).

* The 2002 movie kicked up interest in the Silver Bridge collapse and all things Mothman. Unveiled a year later, in 2003, Point Pleasant West Virginia, has its own Mothman statue made of stainless steel. How did artist Bob Roach land on the final design?

* Interviewing witnesses.

* Frank Frazetta's 1980 painting (as featured on the cover art for a paperback edition of John A. Keel's book, The Mothman Prophecies, which was used by screenwriters of the movie of that name).

* He modified the original Mothman statue in Fryburg, Germany, where miners saw a headless winged creature with red eyes at the entrance of a mine in 1978. They evacuated immediately. The creature became known as the "Freiburg Shrieker," and had the physique of a body builder with wings.

* What can visitors see at the Mothman Museum in Point Pleasant, West Virginia?

* Eyewitness accounts and newspaper clippings about the original Mothman sightings.

* Props and costumes from the 2002 film The Mothman Prophecies.

* Artifacts and exhibits related to the Silver Bridge collapse of 1967.

* A taxidermic Sandhill crane made to look like Mothman.

* True or false? In June 2020, a petition on Change.org was initiated to replace Confederate statues in the United States with statues of Mothman. By July 2020, the petition had garnered over 22,000 signatures.

Intermission

There’s a good podcast about the collapse of the Silver Bridge and Mothman here at Ohio Mysteries. Click through for newspaper clips and such, but you’ll have to ignore the incorrect pronunciation of Gallipolis. Trust me on this—I say it like the locals.

A quick search revealed other podcasts, so please let me know if any are worthwhile.

ANSWERS

Hello, Readers. In an effort to give you something neutral to discuss at Thanksgiving gatherings, I give you River Trivia. You’ll find questions on hydrology, dams, locks, dredging, flood management, plus specific questions about the Ohio River in the aftermath of the Great Flood of 1937. Try them out at “the kids’ table” too.

Thanks to everyone who reached out about October ‘24 Trivia. I love knowing that something I’ve written has made you ponder. In case you missed it or would like to share it (please do!) click the link below.

Note to my fabulous new subscribers:

Monthly trivia is for sport. It’s not a test of intelligence or character. I couldn’t answer these questions without a significant amount of research, either! Do your best and enjoy learning something new. Answers in the footnotes.

QUESTIONS

* What is the term for the total amount of water flowing past a given point in a river over a specified period?a) Water Tableb) Dischargec) Runoff

* What is one primary purpose of constructing a dam on a river?a) To increase sediment transportb) To increase biodiversityc) To generate hydroelectric powerd) To prevent aquatic life migration

* What is the function of a lock in river navigation?a) To stop water from flowing downstreamb) To raise or lower ships between sections of a river with different water levelsc) To prevent fish from migrating upstream

* What is a common purpose of dredging in river management?a) To decrease sedimentation in reservoirsb) To remove sediment and maintain navigation channels

c) To build damsd) To create artificial lakes

* What is a common method used to reduce the impact of river flooding in urban areas?a) Channelizationb) Dredgingc) Levees and floodwallsd) Water diversion tunnels

* In the Ohio River region, certain species have experienced conservation success and are no longer listed as endangered. One notable example was removed from Ohio's endangered species list in 2012 after substantial population recovery efforts. Its resurgence is attributed to habitat protection, environmental regulations like the banning of DDT, and ongoing conservation programs. What species is this?

* Bald eagle

* Longheaded darter fish

* Red-tailed hawk

* Scioto madtom

* The Great Flood of 1937, also known as the Ohio River flood, was a catastrophic flood that occurred in late January and February of 1937. How many people were known to be killed in that cataclysmic event?

* 189

* 248

* 385

* Which of the following cities was 95% submerged during that flood?

* Louisville, Kentucky

* Jeffersonville, Indiana

* Paducah, Kentucky

* Yes or no to each option: did Franklin Delano Roosevelt visit this city in the wake of the flood?

* Cincinnati, Ohio

* Louisville, Kentucky

* Evansville, Indiana

* Paducah, Kentucky

* The Flood Control Act of 1938 authorized extensive federal investments in dams, levees, and other flood control structures. Which of the following is/are true about the Act and its outcomes?

* By constricting rivers with levees, areas on either side of the levees can see higher water levels and more destructive flooding.

* The focus on structural solutions often neglected the natural functions of floodplains, leading to habitat loss and disruption of ecosystems.

* The Act primarily targeted major river basins, leaving smaller communities and tributaries vulnerable to flooding.

Last summer, after touring the floodwall murals in Covington, Kentucky, I ate at a pizza joint called The Gruff, situated close to the Roebling Bridge. While the bar filled up with Cincinnati Reds fans, I had my first encounter with bacon-apple pizza at the recommendation of my winsome waitress. As we chatted, I learned she’d just finished high school and was figuring out her next move in life. In time, she asked about my research project, which led me to test a theory about how much Kentuckians remember about their history as a border state.

I asked, “Was Kentucky a Union or Confederate state?”

I could tell by the way her eyebrows shot up that the question surprised her. “Let me think while I run your credit card,” she said.

As I would have done at her age, she got it wrong. Kentucky never seceded from the Union. I just checked the Kentucky Academic Standards and it looks like my waitress would have studied the Civil War in eighth grade, which might explain her leaky memory, but it seems like the kind of thing that would have stuck in the way that you don’t need fingers to remember that 2+2=4. I’m not putting my waitress down or dismissing the quality of her education. In many ways, Kentucky presents itself to the world as a former Confederate state. As an aside, is eighth grade a bit early to study the complexities of the Civil War? Does it do any good to give eighth graders a survey course on something that still divides our country today? I’d love your thoughts.

This brings me to the subject of this month’s trivia: Kentucky and the Civil War. The quiz will lean heavily on research and analysis by the scholar Ann E. Marshall in her book, Creating a Confederate Kentucky: The Lost Cause and Civil War Memory in a Border State. That’s where I found this 1926 quote from E. Merton Coulter, who observed that Kentuckians “…waited until after the war was over to secede from the Union.”

Dr. Marshall reminds us that Kentucky’s white population identified as both Union and Confederate before and after the war, and that African-Americans, who identified with and fought for the Union, were eager to draw upon the Union victory to claim what had been promised to “all men” in the Constitution. That “emancipation narrative” never resonated with the majority of white Kentuckians, no matter their partisan affiliation. In the words of historian Patrick Lewis, Ph.D., “Kentuckians imagined themselves as the last remaining spokespeople with political power for a defeated South.”

With that, it’s time for the quiz.

Note to my fabulous new subscribers:

Monthly trivia is for sport. It’s not a test of intelligence or character. I couldn’t answer these questions without a significant amount of research, either! Do your best and enjoy learning something new. Answers in the footnotes.

QUESTIONS

The first four questions will help ground us in Kentucky’s economics and culture before the Civil War. Then we’ll move to the war years, and finally, the aftermath.

* The African slave trade was outlawed by Congress in 1808, consequently raising the price of enslaved workers born into what’s known as the domestic slave trade. With proximity to the Ohio River, Lexington and Louisville became major slave markets. When the cotton gin created a cotton boom in the deep South, the average value of an enslaved worker sold in New Orleans rose from $500-1800 between 1800-1860. At the peak of the cotton boom (1850-60) how many enslaved people did Kentucky sell into the cotton belt?

* Over 37,000, making it the fourth highest state in the domestic slave trade.

* At least 54,000, making it second only to Virginia.

* The Commonwealth of Kentucky taxed enslaved workers as property, eventually assessing owners 22 cents per $100 of value. At the outbreak of the Civil War in 1861, with 250,000 enslaved workers in residence, what percentage of Kentucky’s tax revenue was based in human bondage/trafficking?

* 10%

* 20%

* 35%

* During Kentucky’s constitutional convention of 1849-1850, delegates debated the possibility of gradual, compensated emancipation. Proslavery forces in the state quashed all hopes of that. What did they accomplish instead?

* Section three in the 1850 constitution bill of rights strengthened owners rights, saying, “The right of property is before and higher than any constitutional sanction; and the right of the owner of a slave to such slave, and its increase, is the same, and as inviolable as the right of the owner of any property whatever.”

* They chartered The Kentucky Colonization Society and allocated money to purchase land for freed slaves to settle in Liberia. The colony was called “Kentucky in Africa.”

* They repealed Kentucky's Nonimportation Act of 1833 to remove a significant barrier to a profitable domestic slave trade. The goal was increased tax revenue for the state.

* In the 1860 national election, Abraham Lincoln took 40 percent of the country’s vote. What percentage of Kentucky’s presidential vote went to its native son?

* 28%

* 12%

* 1%

* With Kentuckians’ divided in loyalty between Union and Confederacy, the legislature adopted a policy of neutrality at the beginning of the Civil War in 1861. Simultaneously, both sides began to build fortifications along the Ohio River border and rival factions organized militias—Confederate sympathizers called themselves the State Guards, while Unionists became the Home Guards. Sounds like a powder keg to me. What caused the legislature to break its neutrality policy?

* One month after Governor Magoffin proclaimed neutrality, Kentuckians chose Unionists for nine out 10 of the state’s congressional seats. Later, on August 5, Unionists also won control of the state legislature and affirmed allegiance to the Union.

* On September 4, Confederate General Polk ordered the occupation of Columbus, Kentucky, a strategic location in the state’s southwest near Tennessee. The Kentucky legislature appealed for Federal troops to repel the invaders, and General Ulysses Grant answered the call.

* On November 18, when a self-constituted group of Confederate sympathizers and delegates from Kentucky counties passed an Ordinance of Secession and established Confederate Kentucky; the following December it was admitted to the Confederacy as its 13th state.

* Although most white men did not fight for either army, Confederate sympathizers in the eastern part of the state fought “citizen warfare” in the form of guerrilla attacks on Union supply and communication lines, and Union sympathizers themselves. African-Americans who attempted to enlist in the Federal army were tortured and killed. By 1862, Kentucky became a police state in the hands of Union generals, who wouldn’t allow suspected Confederate partisans to do which of the following activities? More than one applies.

* Hold elected office

* Teach school

* Minister to a church

* Serve as a juror

* Run a newspaper

* By July 4, 1865, the war was over. How did most white Kentuckians celebrate this federal holiday?

* They displayed fireworks, cheered marching bands, and even suffered from heat stroke while listening to orators regale the crowds with patriotic speeches. Black Kentuckians were not permitted to celebrate with them.

* They let the day pass un-marked.

* Between 1865-1885, “Kentucky emerged as one of the most lawless states in America…(with) vigilantism, mob violence, and lynching on an unprecedented scale.” (Creating a Confederate Kentucky p 56.) Most experts agree that this lawlessness arose because Kentucky sat outside the “framework of federal Reconstruction.” Why wasn’t Kentucky subject to Reconstruction? After all, it was a slave state. All the hints are in the intro and answers to preceding questions.

* In Fairview, Kentucky, roughly 17 miles from the Tennessee state line, lies an historic site maintained by the state park system. The site's focal point is a 351-foot concrete obelisk that commemorates the birthplace of a Confederate leader who was born there in 1808. Construction began in 1917, stopped in 1918 during World War I, and resumed in January 1922. When finished in 1924 at a cost of $200,000, the Ku Klux Klan burned a cross from the top of the monument. Kentucky is obviously committed to this site; the state closed the obelisk to the public from 1999 until May 2004 for renovations and construction of a new visitor center. Whose birthplace is commemorated here? Your options are in alphabetical order.

* John C. Breckinridge

* Jefferson Davis

* John Hunt Morgan

* Gustavus Woodson Smith

* What is the legal status of slavery in Kentucky law today?

* The first Kentucky constitution of 1792 protected the right to own slaves. The Kentucky constitution still protects this right “as a punishment for crime, whereof the party shall have been duly convicted.”

* In 2022, Kentucky joined the states of Alabama, Tennessee, Vermont, and Oregon in passing laws that say "slavery and indentured servitude in any form are prohibited."

Thanks for reading The 981 Project! Please share this post.

Intermission

Chances are, some of the answers to these questions surprised you. Here’s a podcast series I’ve listened to twice now, and plan to listen again. “The Reckoning” is a public radio and podcast series which traces the history and lasting impact of slavery in America by looking at how the institution unfolded in Kentucky. Here’s an interview with the producer and lead interviewer, Dan Gediman.

ANSWERS