HOURS: FRI-SUN 12:00-4:30 or By Appointment

Underground Railroad:
A Journey to Freedom

Composed of neither trains nor tracks, the Underground Railroad was the network of people – black, white, Native American, wealthy and poor, men and women – who assisted African Americans escape the institution of slavery in the nineteenth century. By helping enslaved blacks find safe passage to the Northeast, the Midwest, and to Canada, these individuals participated in a dangerous but important act of civil disobedience. Thus, the existence of the Underground Railroad was enabled by both the courageousness of the slaves who risked their lives to find freedom and the selflessness of the men and women who helped them complete their difficult journeys.

UGRR Room Tubman Poster

The Bellefonte Art Museum for Centre County is pleased to house a permanent exhibit to commemorate the role of our region in the operations of the Underground Railroad. The exhibit contains information about the operations of the Underground Railroad, art work depicting the courage and suffering of the enslaved African Americans and stories about the local citizens who helped and supported them.

"A Journery to Freedom" is the first stop on a self-guided walking tour of Underground Railroad history in Bellefonte, Pa. Visit localhistoria.com/tap-into-history to begin your tour today.

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