Take a trip on the Underground Railroad. Pretend "you are a slave. Your body, your time, your very breath belong to a farmer in 1850s Maryland. Six long days a week you tend his fields and make him rich. You have never tasted freedom. You never expect to. And yet . . . your soul lights up when you hear whispers of attempted escape. Freedom means a hard, dangerous trek. Do you try it?"
Earlier today, with Harriet Tubman as our guide, Alisdair and I made the dangerous trek to safety in Canada, which was known to slaves as "The Promised Land." The interactive website gives options - do you continue on your flight to freedom or give up on your quest? Several traditional spirituals enhance the online experience.
"Here in Canada, you can finally breathe free. Not only won't the government return you to slavery in the United States, but you can vote and even own land. No wonder thousands have already run away to settle here. You still have to face challenges: finding a home, making a living, adjusting to a new place. But you face them in freedom."
Reading the above paragraph about Canada, on the National Geographic website, makes me proud of our heritage. I'm glad the Canadian government allowed many escaped slaves to settle in our land, and to find freedom from the bonds that ensnared them.
No comments:
Post a Comment