Since the early 1900s, historians have attempted to define and catalog Kentucky Jeans. This project is a continuation of those efforts. While we still need to learn precisely what Kentucky Jeans were, we have evidence they were well-known, especially during the 19th century.
Kentucky jeans, a notable version of denim, have a long history of being workers' clothes in the United States. During slavery, white plantation owners bought Kentucky Jeans by the yard to have their enslaved workers sew together shirts and pants that would get used every day for the year. They were often dyed with Indigo, a dye that was hard to create and was further connected to enslaved people since some enslaved people were taken because of their knowledge and skill in using Indigo for dyes. When Indigo became more readily available, dyes were sold as bricks and could be transported and stored easily. Therefore, more clothes could be dyed with it, making it less costly.
For more information, see Sources.
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