Hidden History

Bridget B. Striker was en route to her own wedding when she told her groom that her favorite part of her career as an archaeologist and mapping specialist was researching at libraries. It brought to mind the Purpose Diagram, which shows that purpose exists where one’s passion, profession, vocation, and mission intersect. She decided in that moment to pursue her MLS. The rest, she says, is local history.

“I tell people I’m a librarian, historian, and historic preservationist,” Striker says, “but the truth is, I’m a storyteller who tries to give voice to people history has forgotten.”

When Boone County Public Library’s (BCPL) Local History Department was created in 2005, there was little information regarding the history of enslavement within the county. Though enslaved Black people were forced to play a significant role in the development of the area, by 1900, nearly the entire formerly enslaved population was gone.

Striker and BCPL sought to identify people who had been enslaved in Boone County, find out where they had relocated after the Civil War, and document their histories. The local history team developed the 60-mile Underground Railroad Tour of Boone County, which has been delivered to nearly 1,000 people. The department also connected with the National Park Service’s (NPS) Network to Freedom, both for the Underground Railroad Tour and as a research facility. They’ve implemented three NPS Network to Freedom grants, including the Legacy of Enslaved Mothers, a five-part video and virtual exhibit project.

In 2020, BCPL unveiled the African Americans of the Kentucky Borderlands database, a research tool documenting slavery in the area, including information on more than 3,500 enslaved people, their enslavers, and associated events, places, and sources.

Their efforts were recognized with a 2019 National Association of Counties Award and a 2020 SirsiDynix Power of Libraries Award.

Carrie Herrmann, executive director of BCPL, says Striker uses her background in archaeology and GIS mapping to strengthen the community’s understanding of historic preservation. “Bridget is able to facilitate and navigate very sensitive issues and emotions,” she says. “She has the ability to build relationships and partnerships to create a holistic and reality-based picture of our community.”

Striker intends to continue using those abilities to make sure the history of Boone County will never again be forgotten. “There is a richness to Boone County’s past that will take more than a lifetime to uncover,” she says, “but I will do my part and hopefully someday there will be someone to take up where I leave off.”