About this episode

The episode explores the life and mysterious death of Alberta O. Jones, the first Black woman prosecutor in Louisville, Kentucky.

Alberta O. Jones was breaking barriers in Louisville, Kentucky. She was the first Black woman prosecutor in the city’s history, she helped register some 6,000 Black citizens to vote, and she was a leader in the city’s civil rights movement. But on Aug. 5, 1965 – before she could make even more changes in the highly segregated city – Alberta was found dead floating in the Ohio River. The night before, she reluctantly went out late to visit a close friend, setting off a 60-year mystery that has led to more questions than answers.

Topics covered

• murder
• civil rights
• historical figure
• mystery
• legal history

Keywords

• Alberta O. Jones
• Louisville
• murder
• civil rights
• Ohio River
• 1965
• Black woman prosecutor

Mentioned in this episode

Places: Louisville, Kentucky

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