Niagara Falls Underground Railroad Heritage Center

“North to Freedom” Film Screening ?? Join us at our Niagara Falls Underground Railroad Heritage Center or Virtually on Monday, March 3rd at 6pm for “North to Freedom”; a PBS Documentary on the Underground Railroad. Produced by award-winning film director Brian Frey, “North to Freedom” focuses on the important role of Upstate New York in the Underground Railroad, highlighting its impact leading up to and throughout the Civil War. WHEN: Monday, March 3rd at 6pm EST WHERE: In person at our Heritage Center [825 Depot Ave. W, Niagara Falls, NY 14305] Virtual Link: https://lnkd.in/gAZi8eYq

On today’s episode of WBFO’s What’s Next? Our Niagara Falls Underground Railroad Heritage Center Director of Community Engagement Saladin Allah sat down with colleagues Ally Spongr-DeGon, Lillie Wiley and Josh Poole to discuss their important work as it relates to the Harriet Tubman Byway; a proposed 550-mile cultural heritage tourism route in New York State that crosses over 22 counties and 170 municipalities following Tubman’s historic journey and connecting Underground Railroad sites from NYC to Niagara Falls. LISTEN HERE: https://shorturl.at/PIrx5

Today for Black History Month our Niagara Falls Underground Railroad Heritage Center team visited Harry F. Abate Elementary School and held an Underground Railroad Game Show! We would like to THANK Principal Tompkins, Vice Principal Allen Cowart and the Abate School Community for their support. We would especially like to THANK Simone Beckford for helping organize and coordinate this awesome event and her 6th grade students for their Black History Month Presentation and Co-Hosting

Have you often heard that The Quakers were Abolitionists? Well, you probably have not heard about those Quakers who were Enslavers. JOIN US THIS FRIDAY AT 6PM for this FREE Virtual Presentation “Black Resistance in Quaker Enslaver Households” by Jim Fussell, Friday, February 28th at 6pm EST. Just click the link to join us!! https://lnkd.in/gU5nP9B7

Today Congressman Timothy Kennedy (NY-26) held a press conference at our Niagara Falls Underground Railroad Heritage Center to announce federal funding for archaeological excavation and research at the historic Cataract House site. This funding, awarded through the National Park Service ’s Underground Railroad Network to Freedom Program, will play a vital role in uncovering and sharing the powerful stories of those who fought against slavery and sought freedom. The Cataract House was more than just a hotel. It was a beacon of hope and a key stop on the Underground Railroad. This project ensures that the courageous efforts of those who sought and fought for freedom will never be forgotten.

Did you know that Wall Street was once a Municipal Market where thousands of enslaved people were sold before it became the home of the New York Stock Exchange?! Join us VIRTUALLY for this FREE presentation “Slaves were a Commodity that were Bought and Sold on Wall Street” by Myra Davis-Branic, Monday, February 17th at 6pm EST. In this explosive presentation, Myra will discuss how she learned about the Municipal Slave Market on Wall Street, how NYC benefitted from slavery, the banks and insurance companies that profited from slavery, and names of popular streets in lower Manhattan near the financial district that still bears the names of slaveholding families including the Varick family, owner of an enslaved person implicated in the NYC Slave Conspiracy Plot of 1741. Myra Davis-Branic is a freelance writer for HUAMI Magazine, Black History blogger for The Modern Green Book, an author and works with at-risk youth. Myra Davis-Branic’s book, “Cornbread My Soul: The Davis Family of Eutawville, South Carolina” chronicles her family’s history on a South Carolina plantation from the 18th century to The Great Migration. Just click the link to join us!! https://lnkd.in/gU5nP9B7

We are onsite at this historic 1860 location in Troy, NY. This is the site where a 38-year old Harriet Tubman disguised herself as an older woman and along with a mob comprised of Vigilance Committee members broke Charles Halle, an enslaved man who escaped from Virginia, out of jail. The Troy Times reported that Harriet shouted “Give me liberty or give me death,” which incited the growing mob of over two thousand people who began to fill the streets. Learn more about Harriet Tubman and her historic crossings to Canada here in Niagara Falls, and other brave Freedom Seekers here at our Niagara Falls Underground Railroad Heritage Center!

Have you ever heard of the reverse underground that operated like a sophisticated human trafficking ring?! TONIGHT we have our first presenter for our BHM speaker series. Dionne Patterson of UGR3DAY Underground Railroad Experiences Inc. will speak about enslaved peoples resistance efforts during the Antebellum period. Dionne’s presentation serves to inform, empower, and educate participants through unforgettable and powerful narratives. This FREE presentation will be offered VIRTUALLY tonight at 6pm. Just click the QR Code or click the link to join us!! LINK: https://lnkd.in/gU5nP9B7

The latest plans provided for the Harriet Tubman Scenic Byway took place this past weekend in Buffalo, NY at the Michigan Street African American Heritage Corridor Commission Headquarters. An initiative of the Underground Railroad Consortium of New York State (URCNYS), the Harriet Tubman Scenic Byway will highlight dozens of historical sites with connections to the Underground Railroad, stretching from New York City to our Niagara Falls Underground Railroad Heritage Center, the former site of the historic Suspension Bridge Village where Harriet Tubman crossed into Canada. To learn more about our Harriet Tubman Scenic Byway go to: https://lnkd.in/g7udRUHn

Join Assembly Member Stefani Zinerman’s Harriet Tubman Birthday & Legacy Tour this March!! This promises to be a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Below, you will find the official flyer with details on trip payment and accommodations.