The museum docent questioned us as we browsed through some exhibits at the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center.
“Are you waiting?”
We weren’t quite sure what we should be waiting for, but her question seemed a little urgent as she directed us to a doorway at the side of the exhibit hall.
We followed her directions and found ourselves in a dimly lit room where we joined maybe a dozen other people already seated on benches.
We took a seat and waited.
Links and information in story updated 2020
It turned out to be the beginning of an interactive museum experience designed to give visitors a tiny taste of what it was like to flee a life of slavery to travel the informally organized Underground Railroad in an attempt to escape to freedom in the northern states or Canada.
Cincinnati Ohio’s location on the Ohio River, a narrow division between free and slave states during America’s 19th century, makes it a logical location for a museum dedicated to sharing the stories of the era’s heroes, villains and the fight for freedom dating from the Underground Railroad era through today. Cincinnati was one of the most important conduits for slaves moving north, and museum exhibits detail the stories of those who sought their freedom, as well as Underground Railroad “conductors” who helped with their journey by providing food, shelter and transportation.
With the museum guide acting as our conductor, we heard about the perils faced by slaves escaping via the Underground Railroad and the risks assumed by those helping in their flight.
Our guide then led us down a narrow hallway to another dim room designed to evoke a stop under the stars along the route. We again sat on benches to view a short film dramatizing the story of one woman’s travels along the route to freedom, a sense of her fear and the people she encountered along the way. As the film ended, our guide encouraged us to quietly reflect on the experience as we listened to the recorded chirps of crickets, and a ceiling adorned with leafy tree branches revealed glimpses of a simulated dark night.
The experience is one way the Freedom Center encourages visitors to become aware of freedom issues past and present, and to take action to further freedom today.
The center’s gift shop is part of the IndieBound network of independent book retailers, and it has an excellent selection of books for those who want to learn more about the history and issues covered by the exhibits.
© Dominique King 2008 (updated 2020)
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