Slaves, both those brought to the United States many years ago and those still held in captivity in other nations, face a host of difficulties and human rights violations.
This Saturday, many Capital students and faculty will be traveling to Cincinnati to experience the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center. The trip is being organized through the Student Involvement office and Multicultural Affairs so that students and faculty can discover the horrifying history and reality of slavery.
Museum CEO Kim Robinson described the center as “A museum of ideas, a site of conscience, a museum of American history, a museum of African American history, an educational resource and a center for dialogue.”
The museum explores the history of slavery in the United States from the entire history of European settlement and expansion in the New World, through the history of the United States, and also the current problems that there are in the world with human trafficking and modern slavery.
Cynthia Duncan, head of Multicultural Affairs is making this her 4th trip to the center, going to visit it once each year; however she has still not seen the entire museum.
“I do a floor each year,” Duncan said. “There’s just so much to see.”
This year Duncan is excited to finally make it up to the 4th floor where the center offers a free genealogy search for everyone who comes. Duncan urges all students who are going on this trip to ask themselves: “What’s your story?”
She says that a large part of this museum is finding where you, no matter your race, fit into the history of the United States.
Another faculty member attending is Jazmine Williams, area director for Residence Life and Housing, “I’m interested in diversity issues,” Williams siad, “and I really enjoy viewing everyone’s experience at the museum.”
Faculty and students will be able to experience the museum together and learn about a variety of different issues from child slavery, to human trafficking, to civil rights. The center offers many large displays of important leaders in civil rights, including a display on women leaders of the civil rights movement which Duncan says is one of the main focuses of the trip and the reason that they chose to do it during women’s history month.
Those who attend will be also sitting in on a presentation on women’s history at the museum.
“I think it’s a great opportunity to go out and explore the civil rights movement.” Duncan said. Williams agreed by adding, “I like having faculty there, to take the reflections that students have and to put in in perspective.”
If any student is interested in going there is only a sign-up sheet on the door of the Multicultural affairs and a $10 fee to go. A bus has been rented to transport everyone to Cincinnati and Duncan offered everyone who goes on the trip “a stop for breakfast on the way, and a stop for dinner on the way back.”
Duncan also suggests students be on the lookout for other events promoted by Multicultural Affairs such as the powwow that is taking place today at 7p.m., in the Schneider Multipurpose Room.
