We had an incredible visit to the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center. I highly recommend it for all.
The 8,000-square-foot exhibit From Slavery to Freedom provides historical context about 300+ years of slavery from the Middle Passage up to the Civil War. Artifacts include the rope from which abolitionist John Brown was hanged to Frederick Douglass’ hat and trousers to first-edition copies of Harriet Beecher Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin.
Three pavilions celebrate courage, cooperation, and perseverance.
This humongous exhibit was very intense, full of lots of reading and historical artifacts.
It was so educational for me, who grew up in the South and had very skewed American history, even from Black teachers.
I love learning along with my children. This is very, very important history and I want the truth. Even if, especially if, it makes me uncomfortable.
In this age of information, there is no excuse to be ignorant.
We were literally exhausted and overwhelmed by the end of this exhibit. It was just so much to process. It was really hard.
Escape! Freedom Seekers and the Underground Railroad allows children and adults to play a game that gives them the perspective of a fugitive slave.
We’ve read lots of books about this, but seeing where escaped slaves could hide and how they traveled and were cared for was eye-opening.
It made us confront ourselves and the question of what would we have done?
Freedom’s flame continues to light the way, no matter the weather.
Muhammad Ali and first lady Laura Bush jointly lit the eternal flame of freedom when ground was broken for the center in 2002.
Poignant with a gorgeous view of Cincinnati and the Ohio River.
People knew once they crossed that river, they were mostly safe from slavery, but new laws kept cropping up that made it legal for them to be captured back into slavery.
The Hall of Everyday Heroes pays tribute to ordinary people who resist tyranny. Important history everywhere.
Again, what would we do?
What are we doing in the face of tyranny?
The Struggle Today examines the legacy of the Underground Railroad and contemporary freedom movements.
We actually did not do much more than peek inside this one. We were emotionally, physically, and mentally exhausted at this point. We will have to gear ourselves up to return.
There are often new exhibits and we could barely process it all.
The Slave Pen, the principal artifact at the Freedom Center, is a 21 by 30-foot, two-story log slave pen built in 1830. Originally owned by Captain John Anderson, it is “the only known surviving rural slave jail,” previously used to house slaves prior to their being shipped to auction. The structure was moved from a farm in Mason County, Kentucky, where a tobacco barn had been built around it.
This was especially horrific, with manacles still inside. It smelled evil.
Upwards of 27 million people are currently enslaved around the world, more than at any other time in human history.
Americans still won’t admit what our history did and is doing to our citizens.
Visit the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center.
Tickets – Buy online.
Adults: $15
Seniors 60+: $13
Children ages 3-12: $10.50
Children under 3: FREE
Hours
Tuesday-Saturday 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Sunday-Monday Noon to 5:00 p.m.
Tickets sold until 4:00 p.m.
Outside the museum, is a piece of the Berlin Wall.
Thank you so much for sharing this. I think that there are so many great museums in this country that give us just even glimpses or wide looks into some of our history. History we all…ALL…need to know! I just went to Washington, DC last Spring (I have lived there twice in my lifetime)…this time visiting two that were new to me…the Holocaust Museum and then the National African-American History Museum. Whew! Both over two days wore me out physically but mostly emotionally. And I am so grateful to have been able to go. I have read much about the Underground RR and would love to visit this one. Thanks again.
What a great learning experience for your family! I love when history can come to life so we understand it more fully.
Too expensive for our blood – but we did love walking down under the Roebling bridge, and across it (!!) to the murals. Did you get to see them?