PATH TO FREEDOM

Troy’s connection to Underground Railroad explored

TROY, N.Y. » The upstairs room inside the Troy Public Library quickly became “standing-room only” as people gathered there Monday night to learn about some Capital Region connections from the time of the Underground Railroad.

In 2003, Paul Stewart and his wife, Mary Liz, founded the Underground Railroad History Project of the Capital Region.

The Underground Railroad History Project researches and preserves the local and national history of the anti-slavery and Underground Railroad movement, their international connection, and their legacies to latter struggles; it engages in public education and dialogue about these movements and their relevance to modern society.

Paul Stewart noted the Capital Region of New York State was visited by thousands of enslaved African-Americans seeking freedom in the years prior to the Civil War.

“[ My wife and I] got curious about the Underground Railroad and we weren’t satisfied with what people were telling us,” said Stewart, “and we [then] started exploring it and that resulted in creating the non-profit organization [in 2003].”

Paul Stewart gave an hour- long presentation Monday to a crowd of more than 50 people in downtown Troy. During his presentation, Stewart gave a few examples of freedom seekers who passed through the Capital Region, including some who spent time in Troy.

During his presentation, Stewart gave a few examples of freedom seekers who passed through the Capital Region, including some who spent time in Troy

Using slides of old newspapers, flyers, advertisements, printed announcements, letters, and line drawings of prominent players in the story, Stewart laid out his research.

Stewar t ment ioned Henry Highland Garnet, who was an African-Amer- ican abolitionist, minister, educator and orator. Having escaped with his family as a child from slavery in Maryland, he grew up in New York City. He was educated at the African Free School and other institutions, and became an advocate of militant abolitionism. He became a minister and based his drive for abolitionism in religion.

In 1839, Garnet moved with his family to Troy, New York, where he taught school and studied theology. In 1842, Garnet became pastor of the Liberty Street Presbyterian church, a position he held for six years. During this time, he published papers that combined religious and abolitionist themes. Closely identifying with the church, Garnet supported the temperance movement and became a strong advocate of political antislavery.

“The Liberty Street Presbyterian Church was a place where many conferences were held [during the time of the Underground Railroad,]” said Stewart, during his presentation.

After the presentation, some guests in attendance said they enjoyed the presentation, and they were surprised by some of the things they learned during it.

“There was a lot of good information that I realized I believed some of the myths that are around about the Underground Railroad, particularly that there were so many public events offering people opportunities to come together to talk about it,” said attendee Jane Hus- son from the town of Pittstown.

“I thought [the presenta- tion] was excellent, it was nice and low-key,” added James McGovern, who is a graduate of RPI and is currently in Troy taking care of a relative.

NICHOLAS BUONANNO — NBUONANNO@TROYRECORD.COM Paul Stewart speaks about the work his organization, the Underground Railroad History Project of the Capital Region, does at an event at the Troy Public Library on Monday night.

DANIELLE EPTING — FOR THE RECORD A large crowd at the Troy Public Library on Monday night learn more about Troy’s — and the Capital Region’s — connection to the Underground Railroad.

DANIELLE EPTING — FOR THE RECORD Paul Stewart gives an hourlong presentation about the research his organization, the Underground Railroad History Project of the Capital Region, has done related to some of the common myths about the underground Railroad.

DANIELLE EPTING — FOR THE RECORD The upstairs room at the Troy Public Library quickly became “standing-room only” for a presentation on the history of the Underground Railroad and its connection to the Capital Region.