Local History Talk: People of Courage, People of Hope, Seekers of Justice

On Thursday, February 25, Paul and Mary Liz Stewart of the Underground Railroad Education Center shared their seminal research on the Underground Railroad movement in upstate New York in this virtual talk, People of Courage, People of Hope, Seekers of Justice – The Underground Railroad Revisited.

The Underground Railroad, often characterized in our historical memory by tunnels, dark of night escapes, coded language and secret hiding places, was far more extensive and complex than these ideas have led us to believe. In the midst of significant pro-slavery sentiment, New York State was home to many abolitionists working to end the institution of enslavement in our state and nation and it was visited by many who had escaped enslavement and sought a life of freedom.

This talk was presented by the Hudson Area Library History Room, dedicated to the collection, preservation, and making accessible of the history of Hudson, Greenport, and Stockport, as part of our Local History Talks.

Paul and Mary Liz Stewart are co-founders of the Underground Railroad Education Center as well as independent researchers and Scholars in Residence at Russell Sage College. The Underground Railroad Education Center researches and preserves the local and national history of the Underground Railroad movement, its international connections, and its legacy for today’s social justice issues, thereby empowering people of all ages to be agents of change toward an equitable and just society.