Tell the historian - Tell the ugly Truth - Don't let it happen again...

Sunday
Freedom Center - Slave Pen
I wanted to add some further updates from yesterday’s trip to the National Underground Railroad – Freedom Center. Yesterday, I wrote about the slave pen. The man who had the pen in the 1800s was John W. Anderson of Maysville, OH. He was a professional slave broker and itinerant trader. There was a tribute to some of the slaves that had been held in the pen outside of it on a plaque, it is called Tell. The second part really struck me…

Tell the historian

Tell the ugly truth

Of why they

Brought us here

Tell the rulers of this land

Don’t let it happen again

Carl B. Westmoreland

I think that Westmoreland points out an important point in that we need to look back at history, no matter how ugly or painful, in order to make sure that certain things don’t happen again.  I couldn’t help but think of those people as I sat in that slave pen, trying to imagine how they could have possibly endured what they did. I know a lot of the quotes I have seen/read so far talk about the enslaved choosing liberty/freedom or death but a choice was NOT to remain a slave. I am not sure I could have endured what they did and I think that sometimes death would seem like a better option than what they were forced to live through.

Henry ‘Box’ Brown

The next interesting exhibit was a favourite of mine (it has a happy ending) is about Henry ‘Box’ Brown. Henry is the slave who escaped by having some friends (abolitionists) mail him in a box to Ohio (this was prior to 1850). His story became a famous inspiration to other fugitives trying to make their way to freedom. They had the picture book called Henry’s Freedom Box in the museum. It is a book I read to the students at school. They took turns trying to sit quietly in a cardboard box like Henry for a short period of time. Henry was actually in the box for 27 hours! There was NO room to move around and at one point, train workers tipped the box upside down (even though it said – ‘this side up’) and he managed to make it without being discovered. Yeah! J



Safe Houses
There was a lot of information about safe houses and people along the Underground Railroad that opened their homes to fugitives. There were a lot of different places to hide people: in the barn, cellars, under the floor boards (this seems claustrophobic but if you are running for your life – do-able), in cupboards, under stairwells, secret rooms, false bottoms in wagons – the list goes on! In some cases, people built underground tunnels to the river, another house, or another location for easy escape! So clever!

 

 



False bottom in the lower part of a wagon - a way to hide fugitives while transporting them to the next stop on the 'railroad'.

 

Equal Rights?

I mentioned in my first post, the feeling that for most of history (and in some countries today) women do not have equal rights and were property of their husband or male relatives. There was an exhibit that showed the history of Women’s Rights during this time period (the center is the National Freedom Center – and Freedom is for ALL!) and their fight for the “Vote” and rights. Susan B. Anthony was a famous suffragette and discussed that the status of women as property was similar to slaves (sometimes not as difficult but property nonetheless). Many of these women worked for equal rights for themselves and for blacks. They raised large quantities of money through quilts, sewing bees, needlepoint, etc. in order to help/assist the abolitionist cause. They saw the connection between them – they were property and had NO RIGHTS or equality. Many women suffered greatly in this fight. Once again, I am reminded that I am glad that I did not live in this time.

Deciding to Escape

Many fugitives had to make the decision to escape and risk everything or remain in a life of hardship and toil. Decisions to run alone, or with loved ones, in a group, with help from a ‘conductor’, when to leave, who to tell, where to go, to get help from a safe house, to stop in free state and risk capture later (after 1850) or go further to Canada. There we so many tough decisions to make and you may be separated from your loved ones but that was also a risk you took if you stayed too! Your family could be sold at any time to anyone – anywhere!

After the Civil War ended in 1865 and slaves were ‘free’, many fugitives went back to their homelands to re-connect with family. I am not sure I would have been brave enough to go back (especially all that had to be done to make it to freedom), even if I desperately wanted to see my family. I think I would have been scared to go back to the U.S. and leave the safety of Canada. Let’s face it – despite former slaves being ‘free’, many southerners’ opinions of them didn’t change right away. In fact, there was a battle in the Civil War where a Black Regiment was fighting for the North and they had to surrender to a Southern Regiment – the end was not good - unarmed Black Soldiers were slaughtered without mercy. Their only solstice was that they died standing up – and free.

Overall the trip to the Freedom Center was good but in a sad way. It is unfortunate that something like this even happened, however the celebration of the courage, determination, will, and strength of these people is inspiring.  I am extremely proud to be Canadian – and a person who lives in a place that for many was the Promised Land.

Sunday Biking

Distance Travelled via bicycle today: 42km
Distance Travelled via bicycle TOTAL:  118kmWe headed out on our bikes today. Our journey took us from our campground in East Forks/Williamsburg, OH to Milford, OH. This was about 42km. Today was a good ride - we were not chased by dogs. J The fall colours were amazing. On a few parts of the trail – the leaves were actually falling on us as we rode.

Each day that we ride, we take breaks, have some lunch, etc. along the way. Sometimes we are stopped in someone’s driveway, park, and roadside shaded areas – not unlike fugitives travelling to people’s homes in their journey north to freedom. I can’t tell you how kind everyone has been to us. Nods, encouragement, welcoming invites to share the shade of their driveway, help from other cyclists, people giving us directions… it goes on. At times, I think I am a bit jaded about human nature but so far on our trip, many wonderful people have restored my belief that there are good people in the world. J

Happy Turkey Day to all!! Rod cooked us a chicken on the BBQ – Yum!

Tomorrow we head out on the Little Miami Rail Trail (which is in Ohio). We are gradually making our way north. :-D