To the Editor:
Passengers on the Underground Railroad — Who are they? What are their stories?

That we might bring their stories to life, acknowledge their courage and fortitude, and embed them in their rightful place in the Underground Railroad story, Underground Railroad Education Center has developed a list of 135 freedom seekers who came to the Capital Region of New York State in the years before the Civil War.

All we have are their names, a little bit of their story, and often the date when they came to the Capital Region. We want to know more.

We have initiated a short-term project with the help of a graduate student researcher who has been tasked with gathering additional information about these freedom seekers and their stories.

We will be offering the third in a series of presentations on Friday, Sept. 29, at 7 p.m. at the Stephen and Harriet Myers Residence at 194 Livingston Avenue in Albany. The program will run until 8:30 p.m. Light refreshments will be served.

Maxam Daniels, the presenter, is an advanced bachelor’s and master’s degree student at the University at Albany and has been researching elements of this list of 135 fugitives from enslavement, freedom seekers, for the past several months. Those in attendance will have an opportunity to see other exhibits at the Myers Residence.

This will be a hybrid event. Please visit UndergroundRailroadHistory.org/events for more details. 

For this event we ask you to make a donation of $20 or more to help fund the research costs connected with this effort. Donations will be accepted at the program or via the donation page on the UREC website at https://undergroundrailroadhistory.org/donate/

Underground Railroad Education Center researches and preserves the local and national history of the Underground Railroad movement, its international connections, and its legacy to today’s social justice issues, thereby empowering people of all ages to be agents of change toward an equitable and just society.

Paul Stewart

Co-founder

Underground Railroad

Education Center

Albany