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Image courtesy of the Niagara Falls Underground Railroad Heritage Center
Image courtesy of the Niagara Falls Underground Railroad Heritage Center

Niagara Falls Underground Railroad Heritage Center launches virtual 'Freedom Conversation' tours

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Wed, Oct 7th 2020 01:50 pm

The Niagara Falls Underground Railroad Heritage Center is launching a new virtual "Freedom Conversation" tour program this week. “Freedom Conversations” are the signature program at the Heritage Center. Pre-COVID-19, they were offered twice daily on site.

Interim Director of Education Chris Bacon said he is thrilled to offer the thought-provoking tour virtually to the public.

“ ‘Freedom Conversation’ tours have always been at the forefront of our mission as a pivotal program that ties our past to our present,” Bacon said. “Rooted in the stories of the Underground Railroad in Niagara Falls, these tours spark conversation and offer a space to consider the relationship between race, human rights, and freedom.” 

The public can book their spot for the virtual “Freedom Conversation” tour at https://www.niagarafallsundergroundrailroad.org/events/. The tours will last approximately 60 minutes and are led by trained facilitators, offering a way to foster empathy, increase knowledge, and encourage action. All tours will be hosted via Zoom and participants will be sent a password upon registration. 

The Heritage Center is offering two tours per week: Wednesdays at 7 p.m. and Saturdays at 2 p.m. 
Prices are $25 for a family, $12 for a couple, and $8 for a single.

“Freedom Conversations” are sponsored by a Humanities New York Action Grant.

About Niagara Falls Underground Railroad Heritage Center

The Niagara Falls Underground Railroad Heritage Center opened in May 2018 after 11 years of planning. The center is located inside the former 1863 U.S. Custom House attached to the Niagara Falls Amtrak station. The center sits adjacent to the location of the former International Suspension Bridge, a point of crossing for many freedom seekers including Harriet Tubman. 

The Heritage Center preserves the historic role of the people of Niagara Falls in facilitating freedom for the oppressed. The places and stories associated with this network of freedom seekers, free African Americans and abolitionists, evoke powerful themes in American history, and celebrate the bravery of the men and women who risked their lives to achieve the most basic rights of liberty. Learn more at niagarafallsundergroundrailroad.org.

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