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The Montgomery Historic Preservation Commission invites area residents to discover the stories of courage, resistance and hope that unfolded in northern Illinois before the Civil War during an upcoming presentation.
“Freedom’s Path: The Underground Railroad and the Anti-Slavery Movement in Kendall and Kane Counties” will be held free of charge at 6:30 p.m. Sept. 24 at Montgomery Village Hall, 200 N. River Road.
Historian Eric Krupa of the St. Charles History Museum and Zachary Bishop of Aurora University will explore the role Kendall and Kane counties played in the Underground Railroad and the anti-slavery movement. The presentation will share the stories of freedom seekers who passed through the region, the local abolitionists who risked everything to assist them, and the grassroots activism that challenged slavery in northern Illinois.
The presentation commemorates International Underground Railroad Month and recognizes the local connections to a chapter in American history.
Krupa is a historian whose research interests include the Underground Railroad, the anti-slavery movement, and the Spiritualism movement in northern Illinois. He earned a Master of Library and Information Science degree with a concentration in archival work from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and serves as the collections and exhibitions manager at the St. Charles History Museum.
He is also co-founder of the Illinois Network to Freedom and has nominated several sites to the National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom.
Bishop specializes in uncovering the stories of historically underrepresented groups in northern Illinois. He earned a Master of Arts degree in history from Northern Illinois University and has worked in museums and public history for more than 10 years.
Bishop serves as the registrar, museum manager and museum studies instructor at the Schingoethe Center at Aurora University. Like Krupa, he co-founded the Illinois Network to Freedom and is working to identify and recognize Underground Railroad sites throughout the western suburbs.
“Many residents of Kendall and Kane counties fought slavery through political action, religious activism, and directly aiding freedom seekers escaping on the Underground Railroad,” said Bishop. “They strongly believed that our country should live up to its founding ideal that ‘all men are created equal.’”
For information about the Montgomery Historic Preservation Commission and upcoming programs, visit montgomeryil.org or email the commission at [email protected].
