2015 Ohio River National Freedom Corridor Regional Underground Railroad Conference

The Ohio River National Freedom Corridor, in partnership with the Clermont County Convention and Visitors Bureau, and the Ohio Humanities Council will host the inaugural 2015 Regional Underground Railroad Conference at the Eastgate Holiday Inn and Conference Center in Cincinnati, Ohio on October 16-18, 2015.  The Ohio River corridor has a rich legacy of abolitionist and Underground Railroad history--much of which remains untold. The Ohio River National Freedom Corridor embraces the opportunity to explore and commemorate the stories of freedom seekers and valiant people of conscience who connected the communities up and down the Ohio River and its tributaries in what became known as the Underground Railroad (UGRR).  The ORNFC increases awareness and promotes the crucial importance of this historic region.  The conference will focus on that continued mission.

The keynote speakers will include Dr. Clarence Newsome, President of the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center and Dr. Deanda Johnson, Midwest Regional Coordinator of the National Park Service, National UGRR Network to freedom. Our panel session presenters will be joining us from across the country.  In additional to the panel sessions, conference participants will be able to partake in workshops and enjoy the theatric as well as musical presentations.  One of the highlights of this year’s conference will be an evening at the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center which includes a private tour and entertainment by the Kentucky Brotherhood.  The opportunities not to be missed include our pre-and post-conference tours of local Underground Railroads sites which cover areas from Boone County, Kentucky, northward to Waynesville, Ohio, and run along the river from Clermont County, Ohio, to Augusta and Maysville, Kentucky and end a grand finale in Ripley, Ohio.

The ORNFC was established to help educate the public about the historical significance of the UGRR and its legacy in our modern Ohio River Watershed communities. This conference will serve to enhance that mission and provide a forum to spark discussions about the connections between the countless stories, both known and unknown, and how heritage tourism can further promote the UGRR in the Ohio River corridor.

Conference attendees will interact with a wide variety of scholars, community researchers, site stewards, educators, members of the heritage tourism industry and others interested in the connections between the stories of the Underground Railroad and the promotion and preservation of its history. To register for the 2015 ORNFC UGRR Conference go to: http://www.ohiorivernationalfreedomcorridor.org/conference-registration--hotel-reservation-information.html