UNIVERSITY PARK—(ENEWSPF)—May 25, 2017. The Friends of the Library at Governors State University and the GSU Alumni Association invite community members of all ages to attend ‘Freedom Seekers and the Underground Railroad,’ an all-day bus tour on Saturday, June 10. Led by Dr. Larry A. McLellan, one of the university’s founders and an expert on regional history, the program is an immersive learning experience.
American history was written by enslaved people who sought freedom, and it has been shaped by the deep struggle to understand what it is to be free and what it is to be equal. That struggle continues. This program is an introduction to the part of the struggle for freedom that came to be known as the Underground Railroad in Illinois—a multiracial, multicultural network that supported freedom seekers.
A chartered bus will take participants to an actual Underground Railroad campground, a historic cemetery, the Robbins Historical Museum, and several other local sites that will help tell the story of the African American flight to freedom from the South in the 19th century. The bus tour runs through Crete, Steger, Chicago Heights, South Holland, Harvey, Riverdale, Blue Island, and Robbins. Along the way, Dr. McLellan will explore and illuminate the history of African Americans in the Southland region, the impact of the Underground Railroad, and the individuals who sought freedom from slavery.
Pre-registration for the program is required. The cost is $75 per person, lunch is provided, and proceeds benefit the GSU Friends of the Library. More information can be found at http://www.govst.edu/underground-railroad or by calling 708-534-7892.
Governors State University serves 6,000 undergraduate and graduate students with degree programs that prepare them for success in business, industry, healthcare, the arts and education. As a state university, GSU is committed to providing high-quality, accessible, and responsible higher education opportunities. GSU is located 35 miles south of Chicago in University Park, IL and offers the most affordable undergraduate tuition and fees in Chicagoland. GSU is committed to embracing diversity and academic excellence.
Source: www.govst.edu
