Produced in partnership with the University of Findlay’s Mazza Museum, Miles of Bravery invites you to revisit the path to freedom, one step at a time, through art from children’s picture books. The collection of 20 pieces of art, on loan from the Mazza Museum, includes works from artists Jerry Pinkney, Bryan Collier, E. B. Lewis and other esteemed illustrators.
From the late 18th century to the Civil War, the Underground Railroad was a pathway to freedom for enslaved people in the American South. The network of African American and white abolitionists used secret routes to provide passage to freedom in the North, at great risk to both the enslaved and themselves. Ohio had the most active network of any state and Cincinnati, situated on the Ohio River, was a key link on the Underground Railroad, making it a fitting location to host the Miles of Bravery exhibition.
Miles of Bravery pays tribute to those who risked their lives in pursuit of freedom, allowing guests to gain a deeper appreciation of the history of the Underground Railroad, and doing so in a way that’s accessible to all ages.
“Miles of Bravery wonderfully captures the harrowing experience of trusting your life, your freedom, to strangers in the night, hiding yourself in the woods, barns or cellars all in the quest for freedom,” says Woody Keown, Jr., president of the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center. “The exhibition is beautifully done and through the vivid visual representation elicits a sense of empathy and compassion for those who would risk so much to be free.”
Miles of Bravery is open March 6 through May 16 at the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center and is included with general admission. Visit freedomcenter.org/content/miles-bravery for more information.
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ABOUT THE NATIONAL UNDERGROUND RAILROAD FREEDOM CENTER
The National Underground Railroad Freedom Center opened in August 2004 on the banks of the Ohio River in downtown Cincinnati, Ohio. Since then, more than 1.3 million people have visited its permanent and changing exhibits and public programs, inspiring everyone to take courageous steps for freedom. Two million people have utilized educational resources online at freedomcenter.org, working to connect the lessons of the Underground Railroad to inform and inspire today’s global and local fight for freedom. Partnerships include Historians Against Slavery, Polaris Project, Free the Slaves, US Department of State and International Justice Mission. In 2014, the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center launched a new online resource in the fight against modern slavery, endslaverynow.org.
