ISBO Research Trip 2010: Learning from escaped slaves who built communities in Ontario and North Carolina Back
In September 2010, researchers from the ISBO visited several communities created by former slaves in Canada and the U.S. Back
Our goal is to learn from the ancestors who defeated slavery and created communities of their own.
We believe the lessons of their heroic movement can help us build a movement today to liberate all
humanity from war and oppression, and create an egalitarian new world. Back
2010 was the 86th year that descendants of the Underground Railroad came to a reunion of the community
their ancestors built. This pear tree stands where the first reunion was held in 1925. Back
2,000 escaped slaves built a self-sustaining community here. Today, it is known as North Buxton, Ontario, Canada. Back
The school at North Buxton was so good that the public schools closed because white parents sent their children
to that school instead. This began a long history of white people in Buxton learning and taking leadership
from black escapedslaves and their descendants. Back
Note: Most of the Homecoming day images are from the Buxton Museum website, www.buxtonmuseum.com. Back
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The tradition of black leadership by escaped slaves created a different kind of race relations amoung the
descendants of the Buxtoncommunity both "black" and "white".Homcoming features re-enactments
of the experience of running away from slavery Back
During the re-enactment show, a little white girl sang a song dedicated to her best friend. Later on her best friend
- a little black girl - san a song and dedicated back to her. Back
The Homcoming sports events have interesting rules. In the basketball games, you call your own fouls. Back
Clothing and bedding, the Underground Railroad Quilt not only kept people warm; it also gave instructions
to help slaves run away to freedom.Here, 3 women work on one at the Buxton Homecoming. Back
Buxton also sent organizers to fight against slavery in the U.S.
This is a recruitment poster for the U.S. Civil War. Back
Our history is not all in books. People who were fighting against slavery did not write down what they did, it was too dangerous. Back
Much of our history is in the memory of the people. The people are our most
important resource for research about our struggle. Back
All over the Americas, black people led the struggle that ended slavery.
They were doing similar things in every country. Back
The purpose of our research is to find out how they did it, and how the free communities they built actually worked. Back
The Dismal Swamp covered 2,000 sq miles during slavery days. It is estimated that 40,000
maroons might have lived on islands of high ground in the Swamp. Back
The Swamp was full of water, quicksand and thorns. Slave catchers were
afraid to go in it, so once you were in, you were safe. Back
The Swamp was part of the Underground Railroad. Maroons, slaves, and outlaw whites on the borders of it helped
runaways find their way North. But many made the Swamp their home rather than risk more travel with slave
catchers on their trail. Back
George Washington was the first president of the U.S. He was a slave owner. He wanted to drain the Swamp to get the maroons out. Back
He failed. Maroons lived, raised their children and took care of themselves in the Dismal Swamp for generations. Back
The people keep their memories about their ancestors to themselves. They are still surrounded by racism. Back
But the older people want to share their knowledge. We will send a young researcher to record their stories, because we need them for our struggle. Back