Kentucky Military History Museum Speaker Series
Join KHS staff for a virtual or in-person speaker series focusing on Kentucky's fascinating military history.
Opium Slavery: The Civil War, Veterans, and America's First Opioid Crisis
Opium Slavery: The Civil War, Veterans, and America's First Opioid Crisis
April 25, 2023, 6:30 - 7:30 pm EDT
The Civil War sparked an epidemic of drug addiction among the war’s survivors—America’s first opioid crisis. Join us as Dr. Jonathan S. Jones discusses the traumatic experiences and personal toll of addiction, which upended the lives of veterans and their families, and the radical efforts by physicians and the state to stem the tide of the addiction crisis. The disastrous health and social effects of the Civil War for many survivors call attention to the U.S.’s long but largely forgotten history of opioid crises, with deeply troubling parallels between past and present.
Jonathan S. Jones is an assistant professor of history at Virginia Military Institute. He is completing his first book, Opium Slavery: The Civil War, Veterans, and America’s First Opioid Crisis forthcoming from UNC Press in 2023. Jones’s research has also appeared in The Journal of the Civil War Era, the Washington Post, Vice, NPR, and other outlets. Jones received his Ph.D. from Binghamton University in 2020. In 2020-21, he was a Postdoctoral Scholar at Penn State’s George and Ann Richards Civil War Era Center.
Learn more and register here.
Tipsy Town Tales
This ain’t your normal pub crawl! This walking tour will go from KHS to three of Frankfort’s finest taverns as we drink our way through the bawdy & brazen moments of the past. This exciting program will lure you in with stories of vice and disorderly conduct, uncovering the seedy side of our Capital City. Great for a night out with friends!
Alcohol is optional (of course), and if you prefer to sip as you walk, all three taverns participate in Frankfort’s new MIX District. This program is limited to guests 21 and over. Cost does not include drinks, which can be purchased at the local establishments on the tour.
Tour begins at 100 W Broadway Street, Kentucky Historical Society entrance.
For groups of 10 or more, book a private experience here: Tours | Visit | Kentucky Historical Society
Cost $15 for KHS members; $25 for non-members. Cost does not include beverages. Guests may purchase drinks at their discretion.
