Freedom Quest: Ohio

That were significant to the Underground Railroad. And so today we're going to talk about why Columbus. Short and to the Underground Railroad. All right. All right. Has John done the intro to let people know what we know. OK. Good morning and welcome to freedom Quest Ohio. My name is Terry Peterson and here's Joan Southgate. Absolutely. Today we are coming to you from Columbus Ohio and we're coming from a very special location that was founded in 1829. We're here at the Ohio school for the deaf and we have some students with us today that are in our audience here. You will notice to my right that we have an interpreter. Her name is Merom Sabri S8 be all right. And Merrin is going to be signing during the course of the program. And halfway through the project she is going to switch

out with our other interpreter who is Michelle Clark something that you want to perhaps think about as we're doing this project is as we've gone along. We're now at the halfway point. We're in Columbus and we have only three more weeks to go. Knowing that we need to think about. How long this journey actually takes. The enslaved people that were seeking freedom from Rivoli. In other words you know as we've talked about over and over we have all these abilities via maps and cell phones and various different things in order to find our way here. Imagine if you didn't have a map. Imagine if the guy that you got was just go nowhere. Look for the North Star head nor. Can you imagine that it wouldn't be a straight path. That would take you from

one point to the next point like we've done so far on this project. In other words we've gone from Ripley Ohio to Cincinnati to Springboro high. To zenith and from Xenia here to Columbus we had specific directions. We knew how long it was going to take us. We could make plans and everything. Imagine that you're walking and you know maybe that night it was cloudy. So you went by the moss that was on the north side of the trees. What do you think that that would be a straight point from one location to the next. And also what would happen if you know the person that you were counting on that one of the underground railroad stations. What if they had been detained. Or what if something had happened or what if you got sick or one of the members of your group that was seeking freedom got sick. These are all things to take into consideration because

just as fact during the Underground Railroad period. With this project we have had to make all kinds of adjustments along the way. And you know I would say to use students. As you go about trying to gain a greater understanding of the Underground Railroad perhaps these are some things that you want to talk about in your classroom. And that is how you get from one point to the next. If you didn't have a map and perhaps somebody said well you need to look for this church steeple or you need to maybe find this landmark or you need to stay close to the river. These are all things that again really add to the amazing courage trust and the abilities that the freedom seekers had as they went about making their way from Ripley up to Canada. So what we're going to do right now two things. One I

want you to know that you can go to the freedom Quest Web site. And we'll put that slide up to vote. We can go to that slide please. Web site. OK. That's the Web site. You'll notice that John has been posted a daily journal on the Web site and also that the blog is available. Please take advantage of this opportunity to visit the website to follow this journey and to also be sure to use the blog now the other thing for you to know is that for today we have a guest who was supposed to be joining us at the Kellton house because of changing our schedule around and everything we can to make alternative arrangements. And so consequently we don't have a guest for today's program. We are going to be talking specifically about the portions that we are going to be watching and Joan is going to be giving

all kinds of expertise from her experience to talk about those specific segments. So without further ado let's take a look at our first segment which was taped earlier in our journey before we reached Xenia. We ran a town called Springboro. Please pay very close attention to this segment. And after this segment is over. Joan and I are going to talk about what we saw in the things that she knows about Springboro Springboro by virtue of her walk that she had done three years ago. So Toivo Let's take a look at that segment please. You need to shop for clothes. OK. We're showing Ford because we had to make a little adjustment here. Give us just a second. It's coming up in just a few seconds. Stand by.

Coming up in 5 4 you should have. The same. Room. Right. Now.

Time for some. Help. Here's. What you're trying to move it to. Sorry you guys. When we be connected back sharing. Or do we have to go through this again. Tell them that I was trying to move the monitors so that the students could see it right here it was here in the room with us so they knew what was going on as well. So just give us a second to reboot. Our Schools.

Because I just want them to be able to see you know what is going on. Is this if they get the pay for it they explain. How to. Got to the Web site. Oh yes. She's got it. Yes. Joan is going to distribute to you. That should be fine right there. They can now see it. Oh no. But I just felt they had this play in and no one's getting an opportunity.

OK. Toivo there's something else that is going to be a minute or so. This. You know what it is. No it's not so rich. So. My question is can you keep Miriam in some of it is this week's must work. Yeah. If you keep it right.

How many of you know about the Underground Railroad. How many of you students know about the Underground Railroad. This is the first time that you've heard about it. Oh but. OK. So. Ashley. Knows so. So that needs really got to go to the computer. So. So make sure you go to the top of the ice cores and you'll get ground on this project. And be sure that you pull out so that we hear your questions and comments to stay in touch all the way to Cleveland.

This is where all the world. Like. Masters. About you know maybe it's because. You can't see where this happens. You. Know. They're searching for work. That's what this is about. We talk about. Them. And I took my walk. I took my art to honor all the

people. Who. Did. Did you escape. No. I I wanted so much to praise the slave family and the conduct of families that help them free access free whites Native American. And so I was sitting there phrases to honor them. So I decided to walk all the way across 519 Miles. And I'm very old not very athletic. I didn't do a lot of training. I lifted weights. I pray walking and walk and training to walk 10 miles an hour all along the way.

Strange people I didn't know off their homes. So just like during wave two years ago. People were very gracious very generous and they would do it for them and they saw on that tape you will see how rich they were. OK. I believe that. Are we back Toivo the audio. OK. Hi. Now we should be OK. Correct. OK. Hi everybody. I'm so sorry about that. I was trying to move the monitor so that the students that are joining us here from the Ohio school for the deaf would be able to see the material that we're going to be discussing because we want them to be part of the discussion along with us. So let's. Explain. OK. You're arguing with

second time and the explanation. I'm very sorry about that but what was happening was I wanted to move the monitor so that the students that are joining us here from the Ohio school for the deaf would have an opportunity to see this material that we're going to be discussing today because we want to make sure that everyone can be engaged in this process. So let's take a look at this clip and then we're going to talk about it. You know you guys. Need to do work. So you don't want to hear.

OK. All. Right. And. That. Was love. Now this is. 15. Miles. South. For someone. In the White. House. So. We. Have. A major major. Topic. Now let's get to their. Destinations. For. Papers. Voting. For. Just one house. Yes. Part. Of the. Underground. Was. Brought here is. How the begin. To reach freedom.

But the stairs. Where. You. Have. To. Stay. For. A. Very very small. It is between. The. Floor. It has no railings. For them to hold onto. It's a. Very very small crowd. I don't know how many people who live here are saying not. Very. Well. This place will go into the high gear door. For. Me. And. For. This house the chimney. House here. Behind. My house. Right. On one side. And that was. Kind of knowledge to know that this was a home that they could come to. I was told that. To me. When they were going. To go around on. How. They took off a lot of trouble.

And what did actually go from this how to stay 7 3 which is several blocks away. They read the whole story. They must be. And we have the freedom festival here in spring. Girl we want to get shot. And it came bursting in. Two. Hours. And they turn me around and they it to know if I had seen. A runaway slave. With a small child. And I was so taken. With that. It just I felt like I was transported. To that time. And I was. In fear for myself. And. After. It was. Over. I said Oh. My gosh how. It actually happened.

Right from the sound with a child to this community how come for that few seconds. She had a whole journey. And that has just. Profoundly. That. I. Just. It was very. Close to you. Very very still in his psyche. It's interesting you say when you call someone else in the school. OK. Everybody knows what you're saying well we're OK.

Wait to see. So you're right. My face be from. Me me me me me. Now. Sure. OK. Coming up

coming up. OK. All right. We we just saw a piece about Springboro Ohio. Before we go any further I want to make sure that these schools will be standing by with questions that we will call upon you specifically those schools are North Ridgeville middle school middle school Alliance middle school. Baret. Middle school. Clearview Junior Senior High School and Portsmouth High School. These schools please stand by with your questions. So what I can do right now is turn it over to Joan to talk about Springboro and we'll let her fill you in as much details and everything that she knows and then we'll take questions from you. So please stand by yes that in about six or seven minutes we'll

be needing to take questions from the students and we will also take questions from our students that are here in the studio with us today. Good morning. I do want to talk about it. But I think this morning and I heard two or three weeks of fire. Remind you so much of what it felt like being out on the road when I was walking up most of the time I was walking essentially. But on. Second there a ways. And I always drive five six miles me per se. I only walked up to it. I knew where to get my next meal. And the driver hit through water all the. And then every once a while when traffic died down and there was a play. That. Made me feel as if I was truly alone. I drive was just

like no one was around on these country roads. And that was those moments when suddenly I can almost imagine. What that was. And I say almost because of course there's no way to imagine the ticker. No way no matter how much you really know many no matter how many slave narratives or even some that want to fill that. But. The other piece is I I'm a mother of four amazing children but they're adults and nine grandchildren or all of them. But you know that. Absolutely. And and so I think about families that we that we made. And as I wrote a story like Josiah and I'm. A mother of.

Four young son who had to run because the father was a part of baseball and the youngest two sons were only two and four years old. That meant that the father carried them all those miles from the plantation. On the other side of the river crossing the river in a flat bottom. Oh and that was mostly at night all the way to Erie and then across and hitting a simple attic ships and take them home. And. Pick. I. Am. So. I listened to the tape watched the tape and to hear Chris talk about Moosie was when she imagined and and I I too remember that feeling when I was alone and walking not running because I chose

what. Was. There. Let me. Just say that my Lomas is impossible but running to freedom. Was. Awesome. Running to freedom gave him the courage. To take turn. So was it also makes people like families and all those and to move to a particular spot set up this town. And one of the primary focuses wasn't just three but the new builder there. So it would be safe for any NMC for any slaves. And they placed it. In a spot that was going to be the best location. And then each of those homes 20 some of them are still standing still preserved. But each of them had built in

either a tunnel or a secret. And what we have in homes today you know we could pass through the kitchen and what we want to like and how facing the refrigerator and how we are watching it. I used to think that there are four cooks serving ovens. And. That's how they put it. So I love spring. And it was so much fun being fat and and picnics stay at the time. Right right. It was a man who's Fafner help play help is in this city we're in right now Columbus. And then he did the same thing. Know a smaller town a spring. I. I find it so exciting. And each time I read this it is like coming home. I wonder if any student here if you could tell me some of the

things you already knew about. The Underground Railroad or public lumber as the town of Kalat Mississippi. Have you ever written to help us here in Columbus. He says I think I have. A long time ago. We had an interpreter there with us and we went to this house and they invited me to go for tea and we went around the house to checked it out and there was an area under me in the basement. And then it led to the outside and went around the home. So I'm assuming that was me. I came into the counting house or do we have any other questions from Studio. From. Anyone or even a comment or story. What made you decide to take this journey.

I love that question. And and and the second is as I almost hesitate because it really was such an emotional or spiritual thing. I was out doing an ordinary struggling kind of exercise walk in of the kind where you're trying to lose weight in my lovely Street right near my neighborhood. And I was suddenly suddenly really struck. As I struggled with this one mile exercise with not with the right that there were these people who walked hundreds and hundreds of miles not more. Graham chaced going through wilderness and this was that wilderness at the time and yet they left because they had to because slavery was so Honoris and the possibility of

freedom even though they didn't truly know but that was essential. So I wanted to take a walk see what it felt like physically. It. Meant. 14 months of training. I lifted weights. I walked up to my walk in front two miles a day to 10 miles a day. Is what I wanted to walk. Is that more important. I know that out here where all these good people that would be interested in what I was doing and would hear the message of my mission and the message is we all black and white. All Americans need to feel such pride in not only that slaves that built this country but in this small group of people who were activists at the time and chose to do right in spite of the rest. In spite of the risk risk

for white people because loss that you find in jail you could lose property. And so people died just to the two of us into slavery. This blacks who I just. I just think that. If. I get in there and I don't know my first three what I want on me and whether it was a free or enslaved that I would have incurred. I have four children my rap Danny and TC. And I know how much I love him and I want to believe strongly that I would have had the courage to take them on their run free to look for food when it was a matter of finding it to keep the babies quiet when slave catchers are nearby. I just I just want all of us to feel such pride

in those people and especially in the mayor. I couldn't sleep and sleep because of all that we all hold. OK. We're going to take questions from our schools and just so you know after you have asked your question please be sure to put your time. OK. So the first school is North Ridgeville middle school and alliance middle school please standby with your question. So North Ridgeville. Go ahead please. Once they got in Canada how did they get jobs. It's a good question because it just emphasized what I was talking about how proud we can be of these people. They created their own jobs. They had to oh just am a family. It's just to

empower. He actually was the founder of this small community or town and you couldn't go to the place now it's now known as Don and it's not on the town. There were other. Freedom to speak of the king and the community but they located in the spot where they started a lumber company because of the forest that he went on to become an important part of not only the underground railroad but really built their homes. They were like pioneers. And we know what we know the story of the American pioneers. Freedom seekers who are pioneers in setting up the towns and starting businesses. Listen. All right. Next school Alliance middle school. Again a reminder after you're done and asking your question please put yourself on mute. Elian's middle

school in middle school stand by with your question please so alliance. Go ahead please. They're here and we're proud of that. Cross border is always a good question. Yes. It is. I'll repeat. OK. If they were in Canada and were brought back across the border by bounty hunters with their cause. Canada any problems. It's an excellent question because the fact is Canada a slavery way before we eat it here in the United States. And so there was no way that a partner could go into Canada and take a person of an African and bring that back to. And bring them back

to the United States. OK. That we're safe and the laws didn't allow that. We're going to take one more question before we go to our next segment. Barrett middle school. A reminder please mute yourself after asking your question. Go ahead VIRET. OK. Clearview Junior High senior high. Do you have a question. OK. Last but not least. Portsmouth High School. Do you have a question. OK. Let's go to our next pre-taped segment. We have last eight graduations So I like it. I see the role where this cause sure it's very good.

We're going to go to our next pre-taped segment which is about the Calton house which is here in Columbus and paid very close attention to the information that Donald Ross shares with us because of to give you a real insight into the significance of Columbus to the Underground Railroad. Go ahead Toivo. The. History of. This house. Fifty two point fifty miles now this was all of

this was to raise taxes for you. However what you it you can work this out. I want to see the stars in person that was out at the school when he said we were out. I stay clear of use out here. I say keep the seiner interpreter over here where you just tell your parents. Can. You talk to me. It's great to be the one for you.

Sometimes I'm sorry. OK. Let me turn the question. OK. Gotcha. Clear for high school for high school. OK. OK. So that's the is regional alliance out west Westfall high school clear high school. What about this year. Parks schools are they still around. However. I don't know what that slow dance participation is. Okay. So we got to. So we have north we don't reach for what's right

for schools right now. This is someone is from so. Many patients is using as a form. Used to just work so hard for us to be a Jew. Do you see

it sounds like my role is to ease my laziness. You know you are just as guilty as you say Jesus is. You use your position is a serious case Frank. What you're saying this is the one that was recorded with the camera mike because I didn't try to

sell our cable. OK. That's why it sounds so hollow you just. OK. How did you find through the house. As. You can see this is why five years. Take care of your family history right now. You know you are so mean for this is rephrases Joe. She says this is

what. The place is doing business. We're using mushrooms. You're is on the story. And also the rain ruins. Oh he was always you know doctors are races and cultures and that's why you do research when it comes to his death. This is Tell

us how you know I'm just getting a very appropriate description of why we need that as well. All right. We're LIVE FROM. Not just. Really. OK. Well coming up on the end of the segment you guys actually sat there and Kevin come why is this work so well. Because it just establishes a setting. Just go wide and then go

to Joan. There's nothing to make sure this is OK. OK. We have some new schools that have joined us right now in particular. We have Westfall high school and we have clear for high school these schools again and I'm going to run down the list real quick North Ridgeville middle school Alliance middle school Westfall high school and Clare for high school. Please stand by with your questions and everything but right now I want to turn it over to Joan so that she can talk a little bit about her experience at the Calton House and in Columbus again I feel so fortunate to have been able to meet so many people on this war and to and for us. We were we were supposed to be in the US today and interview

him live. Oh but I'm so glad we were able to see it. Monte Dunross. I met when I was walking through to Columbus and I chose Columbus because I had friends when I established my. Freedom Walk. It was a matter of choosing easily as Ohio so many underground road sites and our stations that I could pick almost any town towns along the way and I chose Columbus because of the friends here and new friends brand new friends who Eric Williams. I stayed at their house and they are a teacher. So I had a chance to do a school visit at Second Avenue Elementary school kids filled with questions and children who had a chance to visit the not the kelp

house here. Makes a great field trip. And if you are here at the school for the deaf if bitten they are talking teachers into taking because it's close by. And if and when I was through in 2002 they just said it's this wonderful program for schools called Math this journey and to refer to it because it was based on the story of this young slave children slave girls sisters Pearl and Martha who they were literally found in the bushes outside the cold and Pearl was 13 and Martha was only eight or nine years old. And it happened that Martha at the time was very sick. Pearl was able to go on after she stayed cold for a little while. But Martha

also said that the help took her in and raised her almost as if she was up to her foster child. She stayed with him. She helped her. In her help she grew up there and actually to get him into adulthood were when he went to a local couple that man was great in the Cowpens part. So here is a story of this family who who worked who were. Whose mission was to help the freedoms seekers protect them from the slave catchers and the homeless. And this doesn't mention there's something on the evil that there's still now. And these people come together for the purposes of saving these guys keep them for all

the children for all the children for families that. Want to find out what our history is about. And it's such an important basic part. Of America. I mean this is a country that built its wealth and power in slaves. We can't forget ignore or not remember what Bill Clinton was. But you know he isn't rich and powerful today is because of where we are. Unfortunately slavery was how we did. But the slaves were tired and not only with the political rights old rice fields but actually with the slave labor bill so many homes and so many public servants even in the nation's capital. Watch this Joe. We're going to take questions from our schools right now North Ridgeville middle

school. Please stand by if you have a question. Alliance middle school you're on deck. So a reminder after you've asked your question please be sure to put yourself on me. So North Ridgeville middle school. Go ahead. What the question is how many slaves went through Ohio on the Underground Railroad. You'll understand the Underground Railroad. One of the most important parts but it was the secret secret because it had to be because everything they did was against federal law. So there is no way that we have complete records of how many slaves or how many underground rail doctors are housed but the estimates are based on what is. What is possible to document through stories through journals through

business records. Is that all of the above for a hundred thousand slaves that went through the underground grid. Forty thousand through Ohio. OK. Alliance middle school. Your question next. Stand by was for high school with your question and be sure to mute yourself after you ask your question. Go ahead. What's your sense. If so then the question is is it true that slaves had songs to tell them where to go. And if so how many. I don't think there's any way that we record them numbers but they can be. A sleigh is. And the conductor is so creative. No cellphones remember no Internet. So they rely on what they

could make up and using songs was one of the ways they were passing the message by word of mouth by word of song. So the worst songs that helped them the power of the drinking for tramping tramping. Going to make heaven my own. And I sung it to you. But then the whole system would have crashed because I'm not very good at it. OK we're going to take a question and see if any of our students in the studio have a question for John Dewey. OK. The next school then is West for high school. Standby with your question on deck is clear for high school so was for high school go ahead with your question please. On our way out.

Can you repeat your question please. This where the real stars are on our way. OK. The question is did slaves ever use stars or constellations to find their way to the next house. Yes the answer is yes because they didn't matter. You know that they were forbidden to even learn to read and write. But it had all sorts of folk ways of following directions and using Norse as a guide to let them know they are headed in the right direction. Absolutely. OK we're going to take a question from clear for you. Please mute yourself after you ask your question. So therefore high school go. On about you and your families and don't look

back to their owners. OK the question is when the bounty hunters are slaves you want a bounty. Yeah. Thank you. When the bounty hunters found the slaves how did they get back from the bounty hunters the only hunters ever was their chapter was fish and they were paid money for the slaves that they returned. It was nothing no urge. That was it was good for the slaves. So it a matter of putting them in shackles sometimes keeping them in slave jails slave pens until they could. Walk them back to the plantation. So they were literally if when they were caught they were literally dragged back into slavery. And the fact is unfortunately more slaves were

caught and dragged back into slavery to be tortured to be whipped to be punished. And so for them it turns out to be cruel or system slavery then those made it to freedom. Joan