Enslaved Kentuckians did not passively accept their situation. There was a steady stream of enslaved Kentuckians who tried to escape and self-emancipate. Some succeeded. Others did not. Some sought emancipation through legal means. Even if they were unable to gain their freedom, enslaved Kentuckians resisted the degradation of slavery with acts of defiance like teaching themselves to read, practicing religious faith, and creating a strong sense of community.