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The Hamilton County Library in Cincinnati by John King
The Hamilton County Library in Cincinnati is a great place to research genealogy and the UGR! The library has access to more census data than any other library in America and has a huge collection of periodicals that date back to the time of the UGR.
Three things stood out. First was the presentation on the Butterworth farm. The Butterworth's were a Quaker family from Virginia who decided to trade farms with a Kentucky family because they were opposed to slavery. The library showed us pictures of the their Kentucky farm and diagrams showing where Freedom Seekers were hidden on a lower level of the house while those searching for the slaves visited upstairs.
The original editions of the Cincinnati Enquirer from the mid 19th century were great. They showed merchandise for sale (molasses, nails, and a universal hernia containment device, etc.). More important were the dramatic tales of Freedom Seekers. There was one dramatically told story of "Slave Riots!" that was comical in its apparent exaggeration, but sobering in its factual basis The other area that interested me were the rare books and maps. I saw a first edition of Harriet Beecher Stowe's, Uncle Tom's Cabin. When I inquired about how free people crossed the Ohio River, the librarians dug up a map showing the ferry routes in the 1860's. It also showed early construction of the first bridge across the Ohio, construction that some Freedom Seekers would have seen as they tried to cross to freedom.
First Day Journal--By Regina Patton-Stell
We began our week long journey today along with 45 other educators to retrace one of many Freedom routes in this country. We just left the Harriet Beecher Stowe House which is located at the intersection of Gilbert and Foraker. The home is quite nice and recently was reinvaded by a youth group. We had rich discussions about the five books she wrote and especially the book that introduces the characters in Uncle Tom's Cabin. We actually stood on the property that Topsy, a character from the novel, lived on as a child. During this tour we watched the video clip from NBC Nightline titled Found Voices....listening to the actual live oral stories of enslaved African Americans was emotionally overwhelming.....Freedom takes on a new meaning hearing from voices from the past that knew the bitterness of this institution. A quick trip to the Hamilton Public Library allowed us to actually trace ancestors because they house a complete data set of the 1930 US census. We moved on to Old Washington area Maysville, Kentucky where slaves escaped across the Ohio River. Walking through the old buildings where slaves were kept until they could break touched my inner spirit...you could feel our ancestors...Freedom.is so precious.....we must share this part of American History.....
Maysfield: "Steal away home." by Clara Rodriguez
This old spiritual was the hope of our enslaved brothers and sisters who dreamed and made the dangerous journey north from Kentucky to Ohio. This historic town holds untold stories and secrets that are just now being told
by the town's Underground historian, Jerry Gore. Jerry, is a "Griot," a storyteller that orally tells stories that have been passed down in the verbal tradition from generations past. During this portion of our trip I have felt a presence of the enslaved men and women who so valiantly took those steps for freedom, knowing that certain death lay ahead of them. At the auction block at the Mayfield County Court House, I imagined the auctioneer yelling, "Bid em in, Bid em in." "How much for this fine negro." I cannot imagine the pain a mother, father, and siblings felt when they were separated, never to see each other again after they were bought from the plantation owners. It was business as usual in an American culture that built itself-up on the blood and sweat of human beings.
"Steal away home," and follow the Footsteps to Freedom. What unimaginable strength and courage it took to gain freedom. May we as Americans never have to taste the chains of bondage!
The Hamilton Library by Charlotte Black
The Hamilton Library experience was a very exciting opportunity. It was our major stop on the first day of the tour. There we toured the Rare Book section and saw first editions of Uncle Tom's Cabin and Remembrances of Levi Coffin. In the History and Genealogy section we were introduced to books about the Slavery in the Anti Bellum South and bound collections of flyers about run away slaves. The flyers demonstrated the way slaves were thought of and how little their lives were valued. The most exciting part was the census section where I tried to locate records of my father and grandmother, his mother. My search was almost successful, but the time allotted for this activity came to an end. My resolve was heightened to the point, that I must complete this search, so I can pass the information on to my children and grandchildren. This visit to the Hamilton County Library in Cincinnati, Ohio demonstrates the importance of being able to read, comprehend knowledge, and use research skills to explore for knowledge that has been left by our ancestors. Being able to pass this knowledge on to future generations is one of the greatest experiences of this tour. The thrill of knowing about your culture and the people that went on before you can be very rewarding.
Old Washington, Kentucky by Jimi Gillespie, Upland High School
The thing I found most sobering about our visit to Old Washington, Kentucky was the stop at the Old Limestone Courthouse site. There our guide, Mr. Gore, pointed out the original steps which led up to the actual stone where the enslaved Africans were required to stand and be auctioned. It was incredibly moving to see and stand on this very spot. Hallowed ground indeed. Also, Mr. Gore brought the point home when he called several members of our group and demonstrated how family members might be separated and sold. It was a powerful moment.
Harriet Beecher Stowe Home--by Julie Lattuca
In the center of Cincinnati, our tour group visited the historic home of Harriet Beecher Stowe. Harriet wrote Uncle Tom's Cabin which was first published in 1852 and sold more than 300,000 copies. Many people of the time said that the events were not true. Harrriet used dialogue to express the characters.
Emma Cox, whose grandparents were enslaved, told of the treasures that were held in the musty walls of the large white house. She told the story of Harriet's infant son, Charley, who passed away at the young age of one. Harriet's painful loss of her son inspired her to write, "The Keys to Uncle Tom's Cabin". As I sat on the long, gray, wooden porch, I thought of how Harriet's family stood for freedom and education. Harriet Beecher Stowe is said to have written the book that began the Civil War. It was a privilege to visit her home and to listen to "Found Voices", a tape of actual slave voices brought to us via Ted Koppel.
Peg Hill from SBCSS shared how the power of words to create change will enlighten classrooms grade eight and up. Peg created a question in my mind
that I cannot answer. What issue or debate do we have today do I predict in the future will be considered as unethical as slavery? Will it be language? Will it be poverty or the lack of medical care? Am I a part of the problem or am I helping work towards the solution. I have the power of the word just as Mrs. Beecher Stowe. What will I do with that power?
Day One Reflections: Joan Gerard, Pioneer Junior High School KY
In Maysville, we visited the Slavery to Freedom Museum, built by Keye. I was amazed that Harriet Beecher, who was Keye's daughter's teacher, was invited to visit for the summer. While visiting, she witnessed a slave auction, which horrified her. This sobering experience later served as background for the characters in Uncle Tom's cabin. I can't imagine the inhumane treatment the enslaved Africans faced. Visiting the site of the slave auction, where families were separated and sold on the auction block, brought this time period to a moving reality. We were all struck by the plight of those enslaved.
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Footsteps to Freedom 2001