On a bitter cold morning 14 souls set out from the south in search of the freedom trail.
They heard the stories of Buffalo and the Underground Railroad but never did they think they would get a chance to follow Harriet. Oh but they did!
From Lackawanna NY heading north towards the Michigan Avenue Baptist Church “station”, they came to the spot where placemarkers declare “Buffalo was the last stop on the Freedom Train.”
Our students read about fugitive slaves walking on foot from Maryland to Upstate NY in wintertime conditions, now they had the chance to experience for themselves. This was not an indoor museum field trip. This was a trail hike and they were forced to tolerate the conditions. “I’m going back! I can’t take this anymore,” is what one fugitive slave belted out according to our 8th grade textbook. Out hoodied group however stayed the course. Taking notes in blowing wind, using backs as desks and observing historical evidence, one after the other.
Although we never made to the “Foot of Ferry Street” where actually ferry boats would livery fugitive slaves to freedom in Canada, we gained an appreciation and understanding of the effort it took to be a participant on the 19th century Underground Railroad.