One of public television’s most popular series, Secrets of the Dead, brings its historical analysis to Kentucky in October.

The Secrets of the Dead series, which uses the latest science to challenge prevailing ideas and share fresh perspectives on historical events, investigates an incident from Kentucky history known as the “Simpsonville Massacre,” when 22 Civil War soldiers from the 5^th US Colored Cavalry on a cattle drive to Louisville were ambushed and slain by outlaws.

The episode, titled The Civil War’s Lost Massacre, revisits the events of January 25, 1865, tracing the stories of several of the Kentucky soldiers and their families with help from guest historians, two of whom hail from Kentucky: Jerry Miller, a former state legislator from Louisville, and Juanita White, a docent at the Farmington Historic Plantation in Louisville.

Aided by University of Kentucky archeologist Dr. Philip Mink and the university’s EduceLab Mobile Team, the historians search the land around where the massacre occurred, hoping to find the lost burial grounds where the soldiers were laid. The episodeis co-produced by the WNET Group and KET.

“We’re thrilled to bring this important story about Kentucky history to light for our viewers,” said Shae Hopkins, KET’s executive director and CEO. “It was a joy working with WNET to create this episode and share this story with audiences across the country.”

The episode also includes interviews with several of Kentucky’s Civil War scholars, including Dr. Amy Murrell Taylor, author and history professor at the University of Kentucky; Dr. W. Stephen McBride, director of interpretation and archeology at Camp Nelson Civil War Heritage Park; and Joni House, manager of the Perryville Battlefield State Historic Site.

Secrets of the Dead: The Civil War’s Lost Massacre
KET Wednesday, Oct. 23 • 10/9 pm
Watch on-demand at KET.org and the PBS App

Public screenings
A pair of public screenings of Secrets of the Dead: The Civil War’s Lost Massacre episode are available:

Saturday, Sept. 28
Frankfort • 4/3 pm
Thomas D. Clark Center for Kentucky History, Brown-Forman Room

Monday, Oct. 28
Nicholasville • 6:30/5:30 pm
Camp Nelson Visitor’s Center

Space for screening is limited, so RSVP is required. For more info, please visit KET.org/SecretsOfTheDead.

Secrets of the Deadis a production of The WNET Group. Stephanie Carter is executive producer. Stephen Segaller is executive in charge. Funding for Secrets of the Dead: The Civil War’s Lost Massacre is made possible in part by the KET Millenium Fund.

Another Kentuckian in the spotlight
Additionally, another episode in the Secrets of the Dead series this season features a Kentuckian prominently: The Herculaneum Scrolls, which airs Oct. 16, features University of Kentucky computer scientist Brent Seales, who attempts to be the first person in nearly 2,000 years to read inside hundreds of carbonized ancient scrolls found at the archaeological site of Herculaneum in Italy.

Secrets of the Dead: The Herculaneum Scrolls
KET Wednesday, Oct. 16 • 10/9 pm
Watch on-demand at KET.org and the PBS App

KET is Kentucky’s largest classroom, where learning comes to life for more than two million people each week via television, online and mobile. Learn more about Kentucky’s preeminent public media organization at KET.org, on X @KET and at facebook.com/KET.