The Underground Railroad in Delaware: Understanding the Resources II - What's New?

In 2008, a workshop was held to encourage new researchers and research excellence on Underground Railroad themes by inviting professional historians, writers and prolific avocational historians to talk about their processes.  Guest presenters were the late, great James A. McGowan, author of “Thomas Garrett, Stationmaster of the Underground Railroad,” and Dr. Kate Clifford Larson, educator and author of “Bound for the Promised Land: Harriet Tubman: Portrait of an American Hero.”  With “Understanding the Resources II” we explore what has been done in the last five years to further our understanding of this complex, diverse, and sometimes uncomfortable chapter of Delaware and national history.  Also we ask what form of presentation of this exciting “new old” information the public most wants to see and continue to encourage new researchers and excellence in public interpretation.

8:30 - 9:00  Registration  
9:00 - 9:30  Welcome Remarks  
9:30 - 10:45 Session 1: Keynote Address  Dr. Kate Clifford Larson
BREAK     
11:00 - 11:20 Session 2: Wilmington Research  Abdullah Muhammad, "Antoni Swart"
11:25 - 11:45     Antoinette Maccari, "John Tillman Narrative"
11:45 - 12:45 LUNCH  Book signing, Forging Faith, Building Freedom tour  
12:45 - 1:15 Session 3: Harriet Tubman, Underground Railroad Byway-
Wilmington Sites  Group Presentation
1:15 - 2:00 Session 4: From Facts to Emotional Connection:
The Process of Dramatic interpretation  Colin Adams Toomey, Delaware Humanities Forum
(Better Angels playwright)
BREAK     
2:10 - 2:30 Session 5: What's New in the Network to Freedom  Jim Blackwell, Seaford History Museum,
"Harriet Tubman and the Tilly Story
2:35 - 3:15     Panel Discussion