| The Underground Railroad National Millennium Trail was designated by First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton and U.S. Secretary of Transportation Rodney Slater in 1999. The Underground Railroad (UGRR) refers to a multitude of routes to freedom that were taken by fugitive enslaved African Americans who were aided by a network of people, including white and black abolitionists, the enslaved African Americans, American Indians, and member of various religious groups. AALR has arranged for a tour of the Underground National Millennium Trail in Ripley, Ohio. Transportation to the quaint river town will be provided via the interesting Ohio River National Scenic Byway, making it a great trip for families. Ripley, one of the more interesting towns on the UGRR, holds a number of prominent buildings that were once owned by antislavery men and women who worked as "conductors" on the UGRR. Tour guides will take us to one of the better known UGRR sites, the Rankin House, which overlooks the town and the Ohio River. We will also hear stories about disguises and decoys as we visit the river homes of the people who are credited with assisting virtually hundreds of slaves on their way north to freedom. AALR's Underground Railroad National Millennium Trail events are sanctioned by the Ethnic Minorities Council. In addition to the AALR tour of the Underground Railroad National Millennium Trail, AALR will sponsor sessions featuring experts on the subject of the Underground Railroad on Thursday, March 29 at the AALR Plenary Session starting at 8:45 a.m. and at the Workshop on Inclusiveness beginng at 11:30 a.m. that same day. These sessions will provide an especially rewarding background for those who will be taking the AALR tour. AALR is pleased to sponsor what we believe will be a once in a lifetime opportunuty for our members and their families. |