Network to Freedom
Live and Learn Weekends in Pennsylvania
By Morgan Barlow, Port- Pittsburgh: Dr.
folio Associates, Inc. Katherine Ayres,
Lecturer in Eng-
Throughout the year, lish/Writing and
Pennsylvania will be Coordinator of the
offering hosted ex- Writing for Chil-
plorations of Under- dren and Adoles-
ground Railroad and cents Program at
Civil War sites in Chatham Univer-
Philadelphia, Lancas- sity. (April 4-5 -
ter, Pittsburgh and Dr. Lesley
Erie. These Quest Gordon, Professor
for Freedom Live of History at the
and Learn Weekends University of Ak-
also include a ron, OH)
scholar-led discus-
sion of a featured Lancaster
book on this vital County: Dr.
period in American Louise Stevenson,
Friday evening Live and Learn book discussion attendees in Philadelphia. Photo
history. Portfolio Associates, Inc. Professor of His-
tory and American
On Friday evening of each week- August 15 – 16: Lincoln and De- Studies at Franklin and Marshall
end a scholar will lead a discussion mocracy by Harold Holzer & College
of the featured book. On Saturday, Mario Cuomo
the scholar will lead a tour of Un- Philadelphia: Dr. LaTonya
derground Railroad and Civil War Several of these weekends will Thames-Taylor, Frederick Doug-
sites and then relate the book to the feature book signings by the au- lass Scholar and History Professor
sites visited. thors. at West Chester University.
The first Live and Learn Weekend The following scholars will lead The Pennsylvania Humanities
featured Lorene Carey’s “The the book discussions at each loca- Council (PHC) and Jump Street,
Price of a Child.” Additional tion. Inc. are cosponsors of the Quest
weekends throughout 2008 will for Freedom Live and Learn
continue these dialogues: Erie: Dr David Dixon, Professor Weekends. PHC will curate and
April 4 – 5: The Colors of Cour- of History and Director of the Old facilitate the Unfinished Work
age by Margaret Creighton Stone House at Slippery Rock Uni- Book Discussion Series and Jump
June 20 – 21: Forever Free by versity. Slippery Rock University
Eric Foner (Continued on page 2)
Official newsletter of the National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom, Issue #14 March 2008
Live and Learn Weekends
(Continued from page 1)
Street will provide trained dialogue
and first person living history fa-
cilitators to animate the events and
engage you in this important con-
versation. Borders Books Inc,
WITF-85FM, American Urban Ra-
dio Network, and The New Pitts-
burgh Courier have provided addi-
tional promotional support for this
project.
Each weekend features great room
rates, heritage tours, museum ex-
hibits, reenactments, and restaurant The Saturday tour in Philadelphia included a visit to Mother Bethel
A.M.E. Church. Its beautiful stained glass windows were recently
outings. For more information or refurbished. Photo: Portfolio Associates, Inc.
to join a Live and Learn Weekend,
please visit www.visitpa.com/
freedom
William Still and Lydia Smith, both successful
African-American entrepreneurs during the late
19th century, share their stories of struggles to
success during the Lancaster, PA weekend.
Photo: Portfolio Associates, Inc.
Author Lorene Cary (l) and moderator Dr. LaTonya Thames-Taylor ® engage
in a conversation about Cary’s novel. Photo: Jason Smith, GPTMC
2 March 2008
Live and Learn Weekends
As part of the mobile museum, a rare copy of William Still’s Under-
ground Railroad, is shown to the audience by Lorene Cary. Photo:
Joe Labolito for Temple University
Philadelphia Quest for tor of the National Archives Mid-
Freedom Live and Learn On Friday evening, February 8, Atlantic Region. Among the sites
more than 100 people gathered in on the tour were Mother Bethel
Weekend
By Almaz Kinder, Greater Philadelphia Tour- Temple University’s Paley Library AME Church and the Johnson
ism Marketing Lecture Hall to participate in day House, both National Network to
one of the program hosted by the Freedom sites and National His-
On February 8 and 9, 2008, Phila- Charles L. Blockson Afro- toric Landmarks. Joining the
delphia was one of six Pennsyl- American Collection. The se- weekend as special guests and ob-
vania cities to participate in the lected book was Lorene Cary’s servers were national and interna-
launch of Quest for Freedom - historical novel, The Price of a tional visitors from the African
Live & Learn Weekends, a state- Child. Cary, author, professor, Diaspora Heritage Trail Confer-
wide program that uses books as founder and executive director of ence (ADHT).
catalysts for visitor experiences Art Sanctuary, was joined by Dr.
that explore themes related to the Molefi K. Asante, author, educator Philadelphia Quest for Freedom, a
Underground Railroad and the and founder of Temple’s African regional interpretive program and
Civil War. Live & Learn Week- American Studies Ph.D. program, a proud new member of the Na-
ends was developed by two state Dr. Diane Turner, curator of The tional Network to Freedom pro-
agencies, the Pennsylvania Hu- Charles L. Blockson Afro- gram, is led by the Greater Phila-
manities Council and Pennsylvania American Collection and Dr. La- delphia Tourism Marketing Corpo-
Tourism Office, with the goals of tonya Thames-Taylor, Frederick ration (GPTMC) and the Multicul-
increasing visitation to Under- Douglass Scholar and professor of tural Affairs Congress of the Phila-
ground Railroad sites; providing history at West Chester University. delphia Convention & Visitors Bu-
enjoyable learning experiences; On Saturday, February 9, the sec- reau. For information on the pro-
and encouraging program innova- ond day of the Live & Learn gram, visit www.gophila.com/
tion at sites. The event took place Weekend, there was a sold-out questforfreedom.
at Quest for Freedom hub cities – Taking a Stand for Freedom Un-
Philadelphia, Lancaster, Pitts- derground Railroad tour led by V.
burgh, Scranton, Williamsport and Chapman Smith, Regional Direc-
Erie.
March 2008 3
Abolitionist Gerrit Smith’s Estate Saved in 2007
By Steve Joeckel, President Smithfield Com-
interpretation. . “The Lodge” will • Those many who lie in the integrated
munity Association Peterboro Cemetery under grave-
eventually provide an introduction
stones marked Born a Slave, Died a
Abolitionist Gerrit Smith spent his and amenities for visitors. The Free Wo/Man.
lifetime at his estate in Peterboro, Land Office and “The Barn” will
New York. Hundreds of freedom- include exhibits on Gerrit Smith On Saturday, March 8, 2008, the
seekers came to the estate for and the Underground Railroad. Stewards for the Gerrit Smith Es-
safety and opportunity, and scores “The Laundry” will tell the story tate National Historic Landmark
of abolitionists came to this site for of freedom seekers who came to will open the 2008 season with the
support and rededication to the Peterboro, including: annual birthday party for Gerrit
cause of antislavery. Smith was the Smith and a steward training ses-
major supporter of Frederick • Those who came to seek a haven
from slavery like John "The Domi-
sion. The SCA will review the
Douglass’ publications and John nie" West who found freedom, self- completed acquisition status of the
Brown’s raid at Harpers Ferry. employment, and social acceptance in estate and the planning for the
Peterboro, and like William Smith, property. Steward Committees will
When Gerrit Smith’s grandson who was released from bondage by a report on activities and upcoming
died in 1937 the seven acre estate Union commander from Peterboro
during a Civil War siege in Virginia
summer programs and projects.
of the wealthy abolitionist was di- and whose descendents live in the Norman K. Dann, Ph.D. professor
vided into three parcels and sold to region. emeritus Morrisville State College,
private owners. Without the land will provide stewards and the pub-
and the still-standing buildings of • Those who came to Peterboro on the lic with continuing information on
the thirty structures that had once way to freedom, often in groups
moving north to Oswego where Ger-
Smith. This year Dr. Dann will
stood on the grounds, the story of rit Smith’s land holdings provided introduce When We Get to
Smith, freedom-seekers, and the further refuge, and like Harriet Pow- Heaven: Runaway Slaves on the
Underground Railroad station ell and Peter Still. Road to Peterboro, published in
could not be adequately told. February 2008. The book includes
• Those purchased from slavery by research by Town of Smithfield
In 1994 one of the three parcels of Smith like Harriet Russell who
worked at “The Laundry” and raised historian Donna Burdick with ac-
private land was purchased by the a family whose descendants still re- counts of runaway slaves as they
not for profit Smithfield Commu- side in the area. came to Peterboro using the Un-
nity Association (SCA) and do- derground Railroad station there
nated to the Town of Smithfield to • Those who came for an education operated by abolitionists Gerrit
be used for public benefit. In 2007 like Samuel Harrison who attended Smith and his family and associ-
the second parcel was purchased Smith’s Manual Labor School for
ates.
young black men, attended the inau-
with assistance from the Madison gural meeting in Peterboro of the
County Board of Supervisors and New York State Antislavery Society, The Gerrit Smith Estate National
an Environmental Protection Fund and who became the chaplain for the Historic Landmark (GSENHL) is
grant through the New York State 54th Massachusetts Regiment. located in the Hamlet of Peterboro
Office of Parks, Recreation and in the Town of Smithfield in New
Historic Preservation. With the • Those who worked in the abolitionist
movement like Frederick Douglass,
York State. The estate is a site on
private donation of the third parcel Harriet Tubman, Sojourner Truth and the Network to Freedom and the
in 2007 the boundaries of the es- Henry Highland Garnet who lived in Heritage NY Statewide Under-
tate have been made intact for the Peterboro for a short time. ground Railroad Trail. For more
public. Additional buildings are information: www.sca-
now available to prepare as inter- • Those who served in the Civil War peterboro.org
pretive locations for Underground with bravery and distinction, like www.nyhistory.com/
Henry Charles, Private, Co. F., 55th
Railroad history. The SCA plans to gerritsmith www.heritageny.gov
Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry.
preserve the structures and develop
4 March 2008
Candidates for Fifteenth Round
The following candidates are being considered for inclusion in the Network to Freedom in the fifteenth round of applications. On
Wednesday, April 9, 2008 from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., at the First Congregational Church, 33 E. Forest Avenue, Detroit, Michi-
gan, (313-831-4080) the regional program manager committee will review and vote on the applications listed below. The public
is invited to attend. For further information or to comment on the applications, please contact Diane Miller, National Park Ser-
vice, 601 Riverfront Drive, Omaha, Nebraska 68102, or by phone at 402-661-1588 or diane_miller@nps.gov .
Arizona [site]
• Passage on the Underground Rail- • Carmichael Farm [site] North Carolina
road: A Photographic Journey • Choptank River [site] • Friends Historical Collection, Guil-
[program] • Frederick Douglass Driving Tour ford College [facility]
of Talbot Co. [program] • Neuse River [site]
California • Gone North On A Secret Road • Roanoke River [site]
• Harriet Tubman: Bound for the [program]
Promised Land Jazz Oratorio • Maryland’s Network to Freedom Ohio
[program] Map & Guide [program] • Howard House [site]
• Site of Arthur Leverton Farm [site]
Delaware Pennsylvania
• John Dickinson Plantation [site] Massachusetts • Cliveden [site]
• Poets, Shoemakers and Freedom • Eden Cemetery [site]
DC Seekers (NPS) [program] • Frederick Douglass Institute [site]
• Site of Leonard Grimes Property • Samuel May, Jr., House [site] • Freedom in Philadelphia
[site] (Philadelphia Doll Museum)
New York [program]
Indiana • Brooklyn Underground Railroad • Fulton Opera House (Old Lancaster
• Carnegie Center for Art and His- District [site] Jail) [site]
tory [facility] • Griffith & Elizabeth Cooper Home • Underground Railroad Camps,
• Chapman Harris Home Site [site] [site] [program]
• James and Lucy Nelson site [site] • Haff-Smith Barn [site] • West Philadelphia Meetinghouse
• Harriet Tubman Grave [site] [site]
Kentucky • Samuel & Elizabeth Cuyler [site]
• Underground Railroad Research • Sherwood Cemetery [site] Virginia
Institute [program]
• Utica Rescue [site] • Brentsville Courthouse and Jail
• Waterloo Library & Historical So- [site]
Maryland • Portsmouth’s Waterfront [site]
ciety [facility]
• Best Farm/L’Hermitage (NPS)
PAINTING PORTRAITS OF THE McCLEW FAMILY
By Carol Murphy, Director, the McClew Inter-
through a few old books and missed, the stories of this fascinat-
pretive Center at Murphy Orchards
documents, and found nothing. ing family may well have been
Just local folklore. But over the lost. It has been like throwing a
Last year, we set out to paint a por-
years we talked to people, re- pebble in a pond. We did come up
trait of Charles McClew. Local
corded memories, and filed bits of with an actual portrait of Charles
folklore and oral tradition have
information away. Eventually, McClew, and we learned a lot
long linked Charles McClew with
from this small beginning, our re- about him. But then, like waves
the Underground Railroad in Niag-
search allowed us to paint not only radiating out from a single point,
ara County, New York, but
a single portrait, but a vibrant mu- we found a family filled with peo-
that’s about all we knew. There
ral full of colorful characters. Had ple of exceptionally strong charac-
were no diaries, no letters, no
it not been for the Network to ter, and of people whose stories
“smoking gun.” Years ago, we
Freedom’s premise that folklore were echoes and reverberations of
visited the County Historian and
and oral history are not to be dis- Charles McClew’s involvement in
the Town Historian and sifted
March 2008 5
Congratulations to the New Network Listings
The fall 2007 public review meeting for Maryland New York (continued)
Network to Freedom applications was • Grantham & Forrest Farm [site] • Sandy Ground Historical Society
held in Georgetown, Kentucky. The [program]
regional program manager committee Michigan • Second Street Cemetery [site]
accepted the following 28listings into the • Adam Crosswhite Marker [site] • Solomon Northup Day [program]
Network, bringing the total to 328. • Commemorative Drinking Fountain
of Laura Smith Haviland [site] Ohio
Delaware • Dr. Nathan M. Thomas Home [site] • King Farm [site]
• Appoquinimink Friends Meeting • First Congregational Church of
[site] Detroit [site] Pennsylvania
• Corbit-Sharp House [site] • George deBaptiste Homesite [site] • Cumberland County Courthouse
• Stephen Bogue Commemorative [site]
Georgia Marker [site] • Journey to Freedom [program]
• “Mattie, Johnny, and Smooth • Kaufman’s Station at Boiling
White Stones, Part III” [program] New Jersey Springs [site]
• Abigail & Elizabeth Goodwin • Pennsylvania Quest for Freedom,
Kentucky Home [site] Lancaster County [program]
• Camp Nelson Civil War Heritage • National Archives and Records
Park [site] New York Administration [facility]
• Awaakaba’s Riverstroll [program] • Pennsylvania Quest for Freedom,
Maine • Plymouth Church of the Pilgrims Philadelphia [program]
• Abyssinian Meeting House [site] [site]
Virginia
• Spotsylvania County Courthouse
and Jail [site]
(Continued from page 5) ter with her brothers and their
the Underground Railroad - stories grown children. While in their
that spread across hundreds of midst, she never once mentioned
miles and decades of time. One of why she had arrived so unexpect-
our favorites is of Charles’s edly, and prolonged her stay with-
youngest sister, Nancy. Nancy out explanation for months. Nor
McClew McCollum may also have did anyone presume to ask her.
been involved in the Underground The family had learned to be both
Railroad as a young woman, and circumspect and reticent from an
later, she was certainly one early age! Eventually, the Gover-
of the “Belva Lockwood for Presi- nor of New York pardoned the of-
dent” ring leaders in Niagara fenders, and Nancy escaped arrest
County. In the November 1884 and jail by her own “flight to free-
Charles McClew
election, she went to the polls and dom.” Nancy’s daughter Mary
cast her vote. Like the Under- fled the state, and suddenly ap- quoted her mother as saying: “If
ground Railroad, the activity was peared unannounced in Steuben they put us in jail, we’ll sing and
illegal; women were barred County, Indiana. Nancy’s two pray until they will be glad to let
from voting by law. Shortly after older brothers, Robert and John, us out.” A tactic familiar in recent
the election, warrants were issued had left Niagara County early in history. Her nephew, Maurice
for the arrest of many of the the 1800s, and both are also be- McClew, wisely quipped: “If the
women in New York who had cast lieved to have been involved in the singing had been like that of most
ballots. Nancy McClew McCollum Underground Railroad in Steuben of the McClews I have known, the
didn’t wait to find out if she was County, Indiana ( but that’s an- release might have been pretty
one of them. She packed her bags, other story!). Nancy spent the win- speedy.”
6 March 2008
Freedom Lies Just North: The Underground Railroad in Adams County
for Frederick
By Debra McCauslin,
Historian
Douglass.
You’ll under-
To see two of the stand how
three Adams they aided
County, PA sites over 1,000
listed on the NPS freedom
National Network seekers in the
to Freedom, take county that
the new tour later became
called Freedom the site of the
Lies Just North: bloodiest bat-
The Underground tle of the
Railroad in Adams Civil War.
County. You will Portions of
stand atop Yellow tour proceeds
Hill looking down are donated
on Gettysburg’s to preserve
Flags adorn the United States Colored Troops veterans’ graves at Yellow Hill Cemetery, But-
the sites seen
Big and Little ler Township, Adams County, Pennsylvania. You can visit this site while on the Underground
Round Tops and on the tour.
Railroad Tour of Adams County and you’ll learn who they were, how they came up from slav-
you’ll learn about ery, how this settlement just 10 miles north of Gettysburg came to be and how it disappeared
the pre-Civil War, after their church was burned to the ground as a deliberate act of racism. For more in-
African-American community formation,
ago. You will sit in their meeting-
that once placed a church and contact Debra McCauslin at For
house and find out about the Gri-
cemetery on this high hill. You’ll ests and their cousins William and the Cause Productions at
learn how they worked with the www.gettysburghistories.com or
Phebe Wright who aided the free-
Menallen Friends who lived be- www.freedomliesnorth.org or call
dom seeker who changed his
side them in the pristine Quaker 717-528-8553.
name to James W. C. Pennington
Valley. Along the way, you’ll see after the Wrights taught him to
acres and acres of fruit trees that read and write. Pennington later
the Quakers planted many years performed a marriage ceremony
“On the Right Track”
10 Years of the National Underground Railroad
Network to Freedom
September 15-20, 2008
In 1998, the National Underground In order to commemorate this im- events, exhibits, tours, speakers,
Railroad Network to Freedom Act portant and historic legislation, the workshops, and more.
was signed into law to help pre- Friends of the Network to Freedom
serve the history and educate the Association and the NPS will Future conferences are scheduled
public about the Underground sponsor a conference at the Holi- for Indianapolis for 2009 and
Railroad. As a result of this legis- day Inn Hotel, located in the His- Topeka in 2010.
lation, there are now 328 national toric District of Philadelphia,
recognized Underground Railroad Pennsylvania. The conference will
sites, programs, and facilities. feature pre– and post-conference
March 2008 7
UNITED STATES
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
MIDWEST REGION
601 RIVERFRONT DRIVE
OMAHA, NEBRASKA 68102
———————
OFFICIAL BUSINESS
PENALTY FOR PRIVATE USE, $300
EXPERIENCE YOUR AMERICA
National Park Service Websites of Interest
U.S. Department of the Interior
Allegany County, Maryland
African American History, in
partnership with the Western
National Underground Railroad Network Maryland Historical Library
to Freedom Program Managers (WHILBR):
NOTE: New Address http://www.whilbr.org/
National Park Service AlleganyAfricanAmericans/ Contribute to the
601 Riverfront Drive
Omaha, Nebraska 68102 index.aspx Newsletter
www.cr.nps.gov/ugrr ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Please forward notices,
Diane Miller, National, diane_miller@nps.gov Valley of the Shadow items of interest, articles, or
The Valley Project detail s life topic suggestions for consid-
James Hill, Midwest, james_hill@nps.gov
in Augusta County, Virginia, eration to Diane Miller at
Jenny Masur, National Capital, and Franklin County, Pennsyl- NPS, 601 Riverfront Dr.,
jenny_masur@nps.gov
vania from the time of John Omaha, Nebraska 68102 or
Sheri Jackson, Northeast, sheri_jackson@nps.gov Brown’s Raid through Recon- at diane_miller@nps.gov.
Barbara Tagger, Southeast, struction through a digital ar-
barbara_tagger@nps.gov chive with thousands of docu- Comments on the newslet-
ments. ter are also welcome.
Guy Washington, Pacific West & Intermoun-
tain, guy_washington@nps.gov http://valley.vcdh.virginia.edu/ Deadlines are January 15
and July 15.
8 March 2008