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Ohio Travel and Tourism Introduces Underground Railroad Guide, Black History Web Site
COLUMBUS, Ohio - In celebration of Black History month, the Ohio Department of Development’s Division of Travel and Tourism has created two new resources to help travelers discover Ohio’s wide variety of black history experiences including Underground Railroad stops, historical sites, theater and arts, the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center and the National Afro-American Museum and Cultural Center.
The first new resource available to travelers is a free, 24-page Underground Railroad guide titled "Ohio's Underground Railroad Freedom Stations." The guide allows visitors to retrace the footsteps of more than 40,000 slaves who sought refuge from slavery by crossing the Ohio River north into Ohio. Many of the state's extensive network of "safe houses" are open to the public or can be seen on self-guided tours tracing sections of the Underground Railroad network mapped out in this guide.
Within the homes and buildings of the Underground Railroad guide, visitors will learn the human stories of abolitionists, slaves and communities that came together to defy laws and punishment in the name of freedom. The Ohio Underground Railroad Guide is available free of charge from DiscoverOhio.com or by calling 1-800-BUCKEYE. It also can be downloaded in pdf format or from the newly created Ohio Black History site.
Visitors to DiscoverOhio.com, Ohio's official state tourism Web site, now can click on a Black History icon to be transported to a new site offering even more black history travel opportunities. The Web site extends beyond Underground Railroad locations to provide information on sites including the National Afro-American Museum and Cultural Center, Paul Laurence Dunbar House, the King Arts Complex and more. Also included on the site are an interactive map, list of upcoming events and exhibits, travel itineraries and a listing of resources.
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