Travel back to the I800s to learn about slavery, the escape route called the Underground Railroad, and the challenges freedom seekers faced if they finally reached the "Promised Land" of Canada. In the 1850s approximately 40,000 Black refugees entered Canada from the United States, helped by such famous "conductors" as Harriet Tubman, who operated for a time from a base in St. Catharines, Ontario.
Passages to Freedom features slave narratives, a large model of a slave cabin, models of a plantation and safe-house, interactive components and clues to the secrets about fleeing to freedom.
It is divided into three parts
- Slavery: stories of capture and life as a slave.
- Escape: illustrations and narratives about the dangers of escape; signs, codes and symbols used ; the messages in spiritual songs; the importance of the stars; the inventive escape methods including a box like the one used by Henry "Box" Brown to mail himself to freedom.
- Freedom: stories from former slaves and their descendants who found both freedom and prosperity in Canada, and those who found discrimination, racism and even lynching in Canada.
*Included are education manuals with stories and interactive games to use with children and school classes.
Where It Has Been:
This exhibit has travelled across Canada with stops in Nova Scotia, Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and BC.
Recently it has been on display in the South Grey Museum in Flesherton, Ontario and the Surrey Museum in Surrey, BC.
COMPONENTS: 22 panels and 9 display cases, cloth world and star maps, reproduction artefacts, 3 audio and 3 interactive components, cabin diorama, manuals for set up and programming.
SIZE: 100 square metres, 900 square feet.
COST: $1,000 (+ taxes) for 8 week rental, additional time negotiable.
SHIPPING: pro-rated, price to be determined.
(renter pays incoming shipping costs)
AVAILABILITY: Please call or email for dates.
CONTACT:
Nora Reid, Executive Director - (nr.wm@cogeco.net)
Welland Historical Museum
140 King Street, Welland ON L3B 3J3
tel.: 905 732 2215
fax: 905 732 9169
click here to download English promotional poster (pdf) or French promotional poster (pdf) of this exhibit
Sponsored by:
