Camp Nelson remembers its past, luminaria and memorial walk

Camp Nelson held its first official event as a national park Saturday.

NICHOLASVILLE, Ky. (WTVQ) – A somber remembrance of one of Kentucky’s darker historic moments. Saturday night, people gathered at Camp Nelson to remember the 1864 expulsion of African American refugees. Camp Nelson says on November 22nd, 1864, 400 black refugees were forced out of the camp into a winter storm, resulting in 102 deaths.

“It’s something that we need to talk about to really understand where we’re at as Americans, you know and understand you know we’re not highlighting obviously an atrocity but we want to talk about it so people understand where we came from and where we want to go moving forward,” says Steve Phan , Camp Nelson Chief of Interpretation.

Camp Nelson held a memorial for these lost souls and luminarias were lit to honor them. Descendants of some of those who died were in attendance. They say it’s important to remember times like these, reflect on it and come together to do better as a whole.

“This is probably very important for just Kentucky, Jessamine Coutny, Nicholasville, we don’t know about all of this and it needs to get out and people need to come and see this to see the importance of what happened way back then, to not have it continue again,” says Lisa Sanders, retired Air Force Technical Sergeant.

Speakers shared the history of camp nelson and explained the meaning behind many hymns sung by African Americans on the underground railroad.

“It’s a holy ceremony,” says James Frye, retired Navy Senior Chief Gunner’s Mate. “The lighting of those bags, the lighting of the candles, it was significant in the remembrance of those who have disappeared.”