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Underground Railroad Program Recognized - The Network to Freedom Accepts New Listings
Posted March 29, 2022 in Press Releases
Contact: Amanda Pollock, network_to_freedom@nps.gov
Church Creek, MD – The National Park Service’s National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom accepted the Cozad-Bates House Interpretive Center in Cleveland, Ohio, owned and managed by University Circle Inc., as one of 16 new listings from the 43rd round of applications, representing sites and programs in 11 states across the country. These new listings, alongside over 700 sites, facilities, and programs already in the Network, provide insight into the diverse experiences of freedom seekers who bravely escaped slavery and those who assisted them.
“It’s fitting to welcome new additions to the National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom as we celebrate Harriet Tubman’s 200th birthday. Like Harriet Tubman, the freedom seekers and allies highlighted in each Network to Freedom listing remind us of what can be accomplished when people take action against injustice,” said Diane Miller, national program manager of the Network to Freedom. “Each listing holds a unique part of the Underground Railroad story, and we look forward to working with members to amplify the power of these places.”
The Cozad-Bates house is located in University Circle, an area where many Underground Railroad activists lived. The center’s main exhibit, Finding Hope: Cleveland and the Underground Railroad, highlights stories of local activists and freedom seekers amidst the national Underground Railroad movement. The exhibit encourages visitors to see the relevance of the Underground Railroad to the ongoing fight for social justice.
The Cozad-Bates House Interpretive Center is open to the public. For current hours, please visit their website.
The National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom serves to honor, preserve, and promote the history of resistance to enslavement through escape and flight, which continues to inspire people worldwide. The Network currently represents over 700 locations in 39 states, plus Washington D.C. and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Through its mission, the Network to Freedom helps to advance the idea that all human beings embrace the right to self-determination and freedom from oppression.
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