Students Visit the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center

On February 22, TRECA Digital Academy Students visited the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center in Cincinnati, OH. 

Students received a handout with questions to use on their self-guided tour through the museum. The “From Slavery to Freedom” gallery portrayed four centuries of slavery in the Americas from 1400-1900 and students learned how and why Portugal, Spain, the Netherlands, France, and Great Britain were responsible for the largest forced West African migration to the Americas. Students also learned about the major cash crops that fueled the industry of human trade which generated immense wealth. Students saw an authentic slave pen that was built in the early 1800's, and learned how slave pens played an integral role in the internal slave trade in the United States from 1808 until the end of the Civil War in 1865. In the “Escape Gallery,” students read stories that described the brave and clever actions of those who resisted slavery and the ways they demonstrated courage, cooperation, and perseverance. They also learned about the struggle for freedom around the world, and explored an interactive exhibit that examined slavery in the modern world. There was a lot to take in at this museum, and students took their time going through the exhibits and reflecting on what they were reading.