Exhibit honors local people who aided runaway slaves

The exhibit opening Saturday includes a trip to Darlington.
By VIRGINIA ROSS
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
NEW CASTLE, Pa. -- Robert Presnar is hoping people walk away from the Joseph A. Clavelli Historical Center this weekend with an accurate picture of what the underground railroad was and how it operated in this area.
"It was an organized system of people working outside the law because of their moral convictions," he said. "They went to great risk and put their lives in danger for what they believed. Our civil rights movement was born out of the abolitionist movement. It's an extraordinary part of our history."
Presnar, executive director of the center, said state officials have begun emphasizing the importance of educating the public about the underground rRailroad. On Saturday, the center, on Jefferson Street here, will unveil "Freedom's Call," an exhibit that provides a look at local individuals who participated in the railroad.
The underground railroad was a system abolitionists used to move runaway slaves from Southern to Northern states by secretly housing them, and helping them travel from place to place undetected until they reached their destinations -- typically states where slavery was not practiced.
What's on the agenda
Presnar said Saturday's activities will include the opening of the exhibit and a trip to Darlington, Pa. The group is scheduled to leave the historical center at 10 a.m. Upon arriving in Darlington, the group will visit the former home of the Rev. A.B. Bradford, a well-known abolitionist who was active in Lawrence and Beaver counties. Bradford is credited with assisting in the freeing of numerous slaves.
Presnar said the bus for the trip to Darlington has been filled, but individuals interested in participating in the trip are encouraged to follow along in their own vehicles.
While in Darlington, the group will visit the Little Beaver Museum. Lunch will be available at the historical center after the group returns to New Castle. The exhibit will officially open at 1:30 p.m. Saturday's admission is $5 for adults and $3 for children up to age 12.
The exhibit will be on display on the center's first floor for three months, and then be moved to the second floor, Presnar said. Center hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays, and admission is by donation.
For more information, call (724) 658-4022.