Sat 2/8 @ 1-4PM
The Western Reserve Historical Society is honoring Black History Month with numerous programs including one at its Hale Farm and Village called Pathways to Freedom: Stories of Strength and Legacy. It will tell the stories of the lives and legacies of noted abolitionist Sojourner Truth, who delivered her famous “Ain’t I a Woman?” speech at the 1851 Ohio Women’s Rights Convention in Akron, and the lesser known Sara Lucy Bagby, the last person forceably returned to slavery in the south under the Fugitive Slave Act in 1861 after escaping to Cleveland, Ohio. Still, after Emancipation she eventually settled in Cleveland (perhaps due to the citizens who fought for her right to stay) where she is now buried.
The event, taking place at Hale’s Gatehouse Visitor Center, will also feature historic artifacts relating to their stories and community partners sharing related reosurces. It’s free and open to all but registration is encouraged. If weather cooperates, the grounds will also be open, but historic sites will be closed. Go here to register.