THE CONDUCTOR Network to Freedom Program Summer 2005 Issue No
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National Park Service The Underground Railroad U.S. Department of the Interior Network To Freedom Program National Capital Region Washington, D.C. The official newsletter of The National Capital Region THE CONDUCTOR Network to Freedom Program Summer 2005 Issue no. 15 2 NPS Unveils New 3 National Trust 4 D.C. Profiles: 5 Mary Mauzy’s Civil War Web Site Lists UGRR Site As Charlotte Forten Nightmare.... Endangered Grimke The official NPS Civil War Web Site The National Trust for Historic Charlotte Forten Grimke (1837 - We still live with the legacy of will enable youth to connect with a Preservation has featured UGRR 1913) was an important African John Brown's Raid. Mary Mauzy, historic national crisis. "We are on this year's list of the 11 most American abolitionist. She was her Armory worker husband, and excited about this new website.... endangered sites in the USA... the granddaughter of.... their son, George, became .... New DC Area Members of the Network to Freedom Program The National Underground second is an NPS park unit Railroad (UGRR) Network to Hampton NHS (Towson, Freedom now has more than MD) which during 200 years 225 members. The Network of enslaved labor had at least to Freedom proudly 75 escapes (surely because of announces new members in the proximity of Baltimore the greater Washington and the Pennsylvania line). metropolitan area determined eligible in In southern Maryland a Indianapolis on April. In number of sites were Virginia, there was one new Coordinators pose in front of the Georgtown accepted: Jefferson Patterson National Historic Landmark in Madison, Indiana. site, Birch's Slave Pen (also NPS Photo. Park and Museum, Old Jail of known as Franklin & was tried there. Frederick St. Mary's County, Point Armfield) a former slave pen Douglass Freedom & Lookout State Park, and Port used to house refugees from Heritage Trail & Tour of Tobacco Courthouse slavery during the Civil War. UGRR Sites (Baltimore, MD) showing the range of UGRR- Dorchester County is a walking tour as is In Their related activities - enlistment Courthouse (Maryland) is Steps (Rockville, MD). Also and stationing of US Colored significantly related to the in the Baltimore area two Troops, detention of freedom UGRR because Harriet properties were nominated, seekers in jail, escapes to the Tubman's niece escaped from estates associated with iron British, and the start of an the auction block in front and furnaces. The first is Mount armed escape of men that because Rev. Samuel Green Clare (Baltimore City). The made it as far as Rockville. NPS Unveils New Civil War Web Site The official NPS Civil War on battlefield preservation." directly from enslavement. Web Site Among the listed parks are The Sesquicentennial of the (http://www.nps.gov/civilwar/) some of the Network's American Civil War will run will enable youth to connect members (either for 2011 through 2015. In addition with a historic national crisis. programs or as sites): to commemorating four years "We are excited about this Arlington House, C & O of war, it will highlight events new web site," said Fran Canal NHP (for Ferry Hill), leading up to and serving as a Mainella, NPS Director. "The Hampton NHS, Frederick catalyst for the war. The NPS has more than 70 parks Douglass NHS, Fort official NPS Web Site will with resources related to the Donelson NB, Fort Pulaski provide links, not only to the history of the Civil War NM, Boston African national parks, but also to where our visitors can tour American NHS, Stones River resources about the events, the real places where this NB, and Harpers Ferry NHP. participants, leading figures, struggle occurred nearly 150 The Network to Freedom and historical context, and years ago… We are hopes to have its web site about other organizations particularly pleased that our linked too, given that Civil commemorating the Civil web site will link to two War "contrabands" were War. The web offers the major partners, National refugees from enslavement opportunity to search for Geographic and the Civil War and that many bondsmen ancestors through the Civil Preservation Trust, for more enlisted in the USColored War Soldiers & Sailors information on mapping and Troops and Union Navy System. Apply For “Save Our History” Lightening Strikes! Grants Network Grants Available in FY ‘05 In 2004- 2005, the History principals, teachers, or Channel awarded youth groups about Lightening has struck. Congress has $250,000 to 29 local participating in the Save given the Network to Freedom over history organizations in 27 Our History initiative by $200,000 in community grants to states. Again, history applying for a grant in distribute to Network to Freedom organizations can apply 2005-2006. The History members by the end of FY 05. The for up to $10,000 each to Channel is collaborating deadline, June 15, meant a quick help fund unique, hands- with the National Council on student projects to for Social Studies on the turn-around time for members who teach about local history development of new Save were only notified about the grants and to actively engage Our History activities to in April. Members applied for 1:1 students in the use in the classroom or in matching grants for bricks and preservation of their local local history mortar preservation and for research heritage. To answer organizations. The projects related to UGRR stories in questions on grants, History Channel will contact: provide FREE Save Our their nominations to the Network to [email protected]. History Educator's Freedom. By July 8 the applications Talk to local school Manuals to you or your for grants were reviewed. Awardees superintendents and partner educators. have been notified. 2 THE CONDUCTOR National Trust Lists An UGRR Site As Endangered The National Trust for Historic corridor follows US Route 15 Preservation has featured and Route 20 on a 175-mile UGRR on this year's list of the meandering course from 11 most endangered sites in the Gettysburg, PA, through USA. On the list is Eleutherian Frederick Co., MD, and ending College in IN, one of the first in Charlottesville, VA. Possible UGRR sites included are Aldie US colleges pre-Civil War to Mill District, Waterford, Bremo accept students regardless of Slave Chapel, Goose Creek gender or race. It is a Network (home of an antislavery Friends to Freedom member and has Eleutherian College in Indiana. meeting), Oatlands, and NPS Photo. received a grant from the Loudoun Museum as well as "Journey Through Hallowed Network to Freedom. Despite the plantations of Jefferson, Ground,” supported by a being a NHL, it is dilapidated Monroe, and Madison. and vandalized. It was involved Coalition of the same name, stretching from Gettysburg to in escapes to freedom. Monticello. The "Journey Visit: Also on the list is a region, Through Hallowed Ground" http://www.hallowedground.org/. UGRR Training Held At DC Preservation League Three Park Sites Puts MLK Library on A total of 48 students participated in the Watch List UGRR training sessions at Harpers Ferry, NCR Headquarters, and GWMP. The goals of When DC Preservation League issued the training were to orient participants to the its local version of the National Trust's Network to Freedom and to educate them on the NPS definition of UGRR, UGRR activities Most Endangered List, it included a in NCR, and strategies to find out more about "Watch List." Sadly the Martin Luther UGRR in NCR. Do YOU know who Leonard Grimes and William Chaplin were? What King, Jr., Library, DC's central library escape started outside the White House gates? and the home of the Washingtoniana Have you ever visited the Moorland Spingarn Collection, is on the list. Remember Research Center at Howard University? What constitutes strong evidence for UGRR activity? your commitment to rescue DC's Your friendly trainer, the NCR Network to libraries? Freedom coordinator, is ready and willing to educate wherever requested. Meanwhile, take advantage of UGRR training materials (includ- ing a bibliography) posted to the NCR internal web, in the UGRR section. Create greater awareness of UGRR history at your site! THE CONDUCTOR 3 D.C. Profiles: Charlotte Forten Grimke by Antonietta Neri, Intern, National Capital Region Charlotte Forten Grimke until she finished a one the program with an (1837 -1913) was an year course at the State idealist perspective, she important African Normal School at Salem, was disappointed and fell American abolitionist. She MA. In Salem she was then into a depression, feeling was the granddaughter of hired as a teacher at the that her teaching was less James Forten, a successful Epes Grammar School in and less rewarding. She businessman of his 1856, the first African left the island and went generation who was a American to instruct white back to Philadelphia where strong supporter of the children. She taught for she spent seven years living anti-slavery movement. three years until she fell ill a quiet life. Grimke Although she wasn't the to what was referred to as occasionally published first in her family to take a "lung fever." various articles, taught, and strong stand for something studied poets. she believed in, she was Grimke spent time able to make her own mark recovering in Philadelphia on the world around her. until the Civil War began. In 1871-72 she moved to As a child, she spent a lot of Then, when Union soldiers Washington, DC, to assist time at the homes of her took over cotton an African American edu- grandfather and Robert plantations on St. Helena cator, Richard Greener, Purvis, president of the Island, SC, situated during his principalship of Philadelphia Vigilance between Charleston and the Sumner High School.