Visit The National Underground Railroad Freedom Center
Why You Need To Visit The National Underground Railroad Freedom Center
Reading about slavery and the impact it had on history is easy to dismiss. You can say that it is something that happened many years ago. But when you step into the National Underground Freedom Center in Cincinnati Ohio, it becomes real. It’s no longer a page in a history book. It’s several exhibits and displays that take you through slavery of the past, to slavery and human trafficking happening today.
Located in Cincinnati, you will find the National Underground Freedom Center. The building poetically overlooks the Ohio River, separating the free states of the North, and the slave states of the South.
On our trip to the Freedom Center, I used it as an opportunity to share with my kids the history of slavery. I did this because if we don’t teach the younger generations what happened, we will keep making the same mistakes in future generation. If children can see hands on what happened, how people were treated, they will be empowered to know this is not right and do something.
Stroll through the Freedom Center at your own pace. There are signs that explain the information you see. There are staff as well, you can answer questions to.
Interesting facts about the underground railroad
- there was no actual railroad underground. Instead it was a network of people in different places to help free slaves.
- people who guided slaves from location to location were called conductors
- not all slaves went North for freedom. Some went south to Mexico, the Caribbean Island or South America. Some even went to the remote West of the United States
- Ohio had a huge impact in the Underground Railroad
- Indiana ( Richmond, Madison, and Newport), Massachusetts (Boston), New York (Richmond) had many conductors to help with the Underground Railroad
Things to know:
- you can park in the Central Riverfront Parking Garage
- there is hourly parking a block away towards the stadium (pay by credit card)
- the building is handicap accessible
- tours are self guided, allowing you to go through the center at your own pace
- guided tours are based on availability of the volunteer docents
- there are traveling exhibits, to check to see what is available before visiting
- there is a fee to tour, some exhibits may be an additional charge
- address is: 50 East Freedom Way Cincinnati, Ohio 45202
- on the 4th floor, is the John Parker Library where you can do family genealogy (volunteers are on hand to help)
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