Six Kentucky tourism agencies have partnered to create a fully immersive experience that brings historic Kentucky figures to life.
The Kentucky Black Trailblazers is a transformative, first-of-its-kind experience that uses augmented reality (AR) to celebrate the influential Black figures who shaped the history of the commonwealth and beyond. The project was developed by tourism agencies in Shelby County, Louisville, Oldham County, Bardstown, Elizabethtown and Shepherdsville-Bullitt County. 
“Through the integration of augmented reality technology, visitors are offered the unique opportunity to travel back in time and encounter the personal histories of these remarkable individuals who left an indelible mark on our cultural heritage,” said ShelbyKY Tourism President and CEO Janette Marson.
Two years of work went into creating the Kentucky Black Trailblazers experience, which includes 19 stops where users can hear and see, via AR, the stories of Muhammad Ali, Kentucky Derby-winning jockey Oliver Lewis, Civil Rights Leader Whitney M. Young Jr., and more. The experience locations, which are listed at KyBlackTrailblazers.com, include signage containing QR codes. Users scan a QR code with their device to launch the experience; there is no cost associated with participating in the Kentucky Black Trailblazers.
The AR experience used in the Kentucky Black Trailblazers was created by the innovation studio Tactic. Building on the creative direction and historical guidance of the tourism agencies, Tactic worked with production partners to digitize reenactments in three dimensions, allowing the historical figures to speak to users through QR code-enabled signage.
“This is a truly exciting and culturally meaningful use of AR, allowing users to see history ‘come to life’ in a way that hasn’t been done at this scale,” said Tactic President Peter Oberdorfer. “The potential of this medium to tell stories is boundless. But, in particular, this mix of augmented and mixed reality with live-action holographic video is a compelling example of the power of creative technology to invite new audiences to explore this important history.”
For more information, visit KyBlackTrailblazers.com.
