In May 2025, We created a memorial at the BK House that invited visitors to write notes to Louise, an enslaved woman who lived here from 1841-1847. A simple bowl placed beside her portrait became a vessel for connection across time.
Louise was 46 years old when brought to this house in bondage. Though records callously listed her as “sickly,” she served as midwife, caregiver and healer—nurturing her own community while being forced to use her gifts to care for her enslavers and their children. Her knowledge of traditional medicine and birthing practices was often preferred over doctors of the time.
We believed that visitors should acknowledge a simple truth: this is her house too. Her strength and knowledge are as much a part of this house’s legacy as any other.
Messages Across Time
150 people have now written to Louise, creating a remarkable bridge between past and present. Below are photographs of some of these messages:
These notes represent more than words on paper—they are acknowledgments of Louise’s humanity, her skills, her suffering, and her endurance. Each writer has paused to see beyond the traditional historic house narrative and connect with the fullness of this home’s history.
Your Connection
The bowl remains at BK House today, and visitors continue to add their voices to this ongoing conversation with the past.
Project by Nia DeCoux