Updated: 6:32 PM EDT Sep 20, 2024

The stories of formerly enslaved people in Louisville are coming to life through new interactive technology.

"It's heartbreaking that millions of people who were enslaved throughout the Transatlantic Slave Trade had generations of that experience," (Un)Known Project co-founder Josh Miller told WLKY.

Miller's organization is awakening Louisville's role in a painful history by launching an augmented reality and 4-D hologram experience called "Footprints Through Time."

Locals and visitors of all ages can simply scan a QR code to launch the free, immersive program at three sites in and around Louisville:

• (Un)Known Project's On the Banks of Freedom and In Our Elders' Footprints public art installations on 10th Street along the Ohio River
• Berheim Forest and Arboretum
• Frazier History Museum

Users become part of the story as they tour each location. Characters played by real actors appear on the screen and bring them into the conversation about their ancestors.

"We knew the story needed to be told," said director and producer Adrian Rashad Driscoll. "You hold your phone up and you're looking through this portal that's taking you to a different place."

At the Frazier History Museum, "The Commonwealth: Divided We Fall" exhibit delves beyond museum walls and into virtual reality.

"You can walk in and experience that cabin as if it was back in the day when there were slaves living in it," curator Amanda Briede said.

Creators of the groundbreaking technology said it aims to convey truths of the past that were often hidden or misunderstood, spark difficult conversations, and educate all ages about enslavement.

"I think it's a great time, especially with AI rising, for people to focus on the human factor," said Caitlin Krause, collaborator on the project. "What are the human layers of stories, and how could these stories from the past have an impact on the way that we live right now, today?"

She and others behind the project believe pulling people into history helps bring historical footprints to life and inspires critical conversations about their lasting impact.

"This is going to open up doors for not just this conversation but for a lot of other difficult conversations," Driscoll said.

Footprints Through Time officially launches at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 21. The public is invited to attend a launch party at (Un)Known Project's public art installations along the Louisville riverwalk, followed by a tour of the Frazier History Museum exhibit.

The augmented reality experience was developed in collaboration with Collimation and MindWise. You can learn more about it here.