The Underground Railroad: Myths and Realities

Pamela Bennett
317-232-2535
mailto:pbennett@history.IN.gov
February 15, 2005

A series of presentations, book signings, and other events on The Underground Railroad: Myths and Realities will begin on Thursday, February 17, 2005 at the Indiana State Library and Historical Building located at 140 North Senate Avenue in Indianapolis.

On Thursday, February 17, 2005 at 4:00 p.m. Jeannie Regan-Dinius, Division of Historic Preservation and Archaeology, IDNR, will speak on The Underground Railroad, describing the initiatives of the National Park Service, the Division, and its partners in Indiana.

On Monday, March 28, 2005 from 4:00 - 6:00 p.m. Fergus Bordewich, author of Bound for Canaan: The Underground Railroad and the War for the Soul of America will be available for a presentation and book signing. Bound for Canaan is a comprehensive and eloquent narrative that captures the complexities that were at the heart of the Underground Railroad movement. Indiana figures prominently in this epic story.

The purpose of these events is to promote public awareness of Indiana's role in the Underground Railroad movement and foster a dialogue that examines the facts and myths that are part of the contemporary conceptualizations of the Underground Railroad. Through lectures and discussions targeted at the general public, this series will explore what we know and what we do not know and also shed light on how history is presented and sometimes misrepresented.

Collaborative partners for the series are the Indiana Historical Bureau, Indiana State Library, Division of Historic Preservation and Archaeology, Indiana Department of Natural Resources, Dona Stokes-Lucas and X-PRESSION Books, and Indiana Freedom Trails.