Niagara Falls Underground Railroad Heritage Center
The Niagara Falls Underground Railroad Heritage Center was in the U.S. Customs Building (now part of Niagara Region) in 1863. It was completed in May 2018 by a group of dedicated employees, community leaders and political supporters after more than 11 years of vision and planning. Although the customs building is not on the underground railway, it is adjacent to the former International Suspension Bridge and is the intersection of many freedom seekers including Harriet Tubman. The abutment can be seen from the heritage center.
The Heritage Center preserves the historic role of the people of Niagara Falls in promoting the freedom of the oppressed. The locations and stories associated with this network of freedom seekers, free African Americans and abolitionists evoke powerful themes in American history and celebrate the heroism of men and women who risked their lives to fight for the most fundamental rights of freedom behavior.
The Heritage Center is a project of the Niagara Falls Underground Railroad Heritage Committee and the Niagara Falls National Heritage Area (a plan of the National Park Service).[1]
Contents
History
Today the city of Niagara Falls (previously called Niagara Falls Village and Suspension Bridge) plays a key role in the underground railway. Niagara Falls (Niagara Falls) is an established border crossing point that can be easily reached via many transportation routes such as the Erie Canal. Western New York has a well-developed network of abolitionists and anti-slavery activists.
By the middle of the 19th century, Niagara Falls was already a famous tourist attraction. Many hotels provide employment opportunities for a large number of African Americans in the village, some of whom are free, and many of them may be refugees who have escaped slavery. The main goal of the Underground Railroad Heritage District is to rediscover and promote this important aspect of New York City’s history for the benefit of residents and visitors.[2]
The town of Niagara Falls is an important location for the Underground Railroad along the Niagara River and the Canadian border. Therefore, this river is the last obstacle for people escaping slavery to gain freedom in Canada. The Heritage Center must not only reveal the true story of the underground railway, but also inspire visitors to realize the ongoing struggle of all people to live free from oppression and take action to build a fair society.[3]
Saladin Allah, a visitor experience expert at the Heritage Center, gave a detailed explanation, “Oftentimes when people speak about the Underground Railroad they talk about ‘escaped slaves,’ ‘runaway slaves,’ or ‘freed slaves.’ When you refer to a human being that way, you are using the word ‘slave’ to define their identity. Slavery was a condition, not an identity. We don’t refer to people that way, we only refer to them within the context of being a ‘freedom seeker,’ which is much more universal, and applicable to people who are seeking freedom today.”[4]
Exhibition
The permanent exhibition "A River to Cross" at the Niagara Falls Underground Railroad Heritage Center tells the rich story of the Niagara Falls Underground Railroad, its location and the key role of its location, and the residents (especially its African Americans) Behavioral residents. The exhibition emphasizes the modern connection with this history, and invites visitors to consider their choices when facing the restrictions of people's freedom today.[5]
One More River to Cross engages visitors in the story of the underground railway by focusing on the voices and experiences of those seeking freedom. Visitors pass the rebuilt historic railway station, which is the first stop for many freedom seekers to enter the city. Then they walked through rooms full of historical artifacts, recreated rooms, art, music and multimedia interactive exhibits. Here, they also met certain people involved in the underground railway, such as Harriet Tubman and African American waiters at Cataract House, who used their positions to help people cross Canada secretly. At the end of the exhibition, the visitors were immersed in the last part of the journey: cross the river by ferry or bridge, and then set foot on the road to freedom on Canadian soil.[6]
External Link
See more about the Niagara Falls Underground Railroad Heritage Center here
Reference
- ↑ Niagara Falls Underground Railroad Heritage Center. Niagarafallundergroundrailroad. Retrieved January 28, 2021
- ↑ Niagara Falls Underground Railroad Heritage Center. Niagarafallundergroundrailroad. Retrieved January 28, 2021
- ↑ Kim Smith. ‘One More River to Cross’: Niagara Falls Underground Railroad Heritage Center Wins Prestigious Award. Nps.gov. Retrieved January 28, 2021
- ↑ F. Calarco (NERO). History and Social Justice – Niagara Falls Underground Railroad Heritage Center. October 15, 2018. Nps.gov. Retrieved January 28, 2021
- ↑ Niagara Falls Underground Railroad Heritage Center. Niagarafallundergroundrailroad. Retrieved January 28, 2021
- ↑ Kim Smith. ‘One More River to Cross’: Niagara Falls Underground Railroad Heritage Center Wins Prestigious Award. Nps.gov. Retrieved January 28, 2021