By Ethie Moak
Enterprise file photo – Saranac Hale spencer
Preserving history: Paul Stewart speaks in front of the Stephen and Harriet Myers Residence Underground Railroad site in Albany. He and his wife, Mary Liz Stewart, will speak on Feb. 5 to the New Scotland Historical Association about the Underground Railroad, emphasizing the African-American people who worked as conductors and stationmasters.The Underground Railroad was a means for slaves to escape from the South. The New Scotland Historical Association is hosting a talk on the Underground Railroad by Paul and Mary Liz Stewart.
The program is free and open to the public and will be held on Feb. 5 at 7:30 p.m. at the Wyman Osterhout Community Center in New Salem.
Paul Stewart has a master of arts degree in pastoral studies and Mary Liz Stewart has a master of science degree in education. They have been working on this project for 14 years.
They will tell the story of the Underground Railroad with an emphasis on the African-American people who worked as conductors and stationmasters. Many of these people were not recognized in the past.
They will also talk about some of the passengers on the Underground Railroad and identify specific people by name and tell where they came from and where they settled. They have led walking tours of Underground Railroad sites in Albany and Troy.
The Stewarts are organizing the 12th annual Underground Railroad Public History Conference scheduled for April 2013.
They provided leadership in organizing a not-for-profit called Underground Railroad History Project of the Capital Region, Inc. and their research identified the Stephen and Harriet Myers Residence Underground Railroad site in Albany, which has been named to the state and national historic registers, Heritage New York Underground Railroad Freedom Trail, and National Network to Freedom.
They have been recognized by the Sage Colleges as scholars in residence.
If you have any questions or would like further information, please call 765-4212.
Editor’s note: Ethie Moak is the publicity chairwoman for the New Scotland Historical Association.