The Reckoning traces the history and lasting impact of slavery in America by looking at how the institution unfolded in Kentucky. The state remained in the Union during the Civil War, but many white Kentuckians fought to hang onto slavery and the wealth the enslaved provided. In the years that followed, former Unionists and Confederates banded together to violently deny black citizens a seat at the table. As part of this story, we will meet members of two families, one white and one black, whose lives were intertwined through slavery. These families reflect how slavery touched nearly every person, place and institution in America, and how the country still needs to reconcile this painful past with the the impact slavery has had on the present day health, wealth and safety of African Americans.
Episodes
Tuesday Jan 27, 2026
Tuesday Jan 27, 2026
The summer of 1863 was a momentous period in the Civil War with the Battle of Gettysburg and the Fall of Vicksburg. It was also a turning point in a different kind of war being fought against Copperhead insurrectionists, who were starting to be taken very seriously by Union military officials. To counteract the threat, they started to spy on their own citizens.
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