The underground railroad was a secret network of safe havens for runaway slaves making their way to freedom in the North or in Canada during the 19th century, with Michigan providing one of the most vital of links.  During April, the Lorenzo Cultural Center at Macomb Community College casts a spotlight on the heroes of this brave undertaking including a step-by-step look at one runaway slave’s odyssey, which was traveled and filmed by his fourth-generation descendant for a documentary to be released next year.       

In Patrick and Me: A Personal Journey on the Underground Railroad, historian Anthony Cohen shares the story of his ancestor, Patrick Sneed, a runaway slave who made his way from Georgia to freedom in Canada along the underground railroad. Cohen spent two months in 2007 retracing Sneed’s path to freedom, mostly on foot, an endeavor that is the subject of the documentary Patrick and Me, which is scheduled for release in 2009. A two-minute trailer for the documentary will be included in his presentation.  Cohen’s reconstruction of his ancestor’s journey, which began in 1849, marked his third trip along the underground railroad.  His first, a 1,200-mile trek in 1996, garnered the attention of Oprah Winfrey, who asked Cohen to help her prepare for her portrayal of a slave in the movie Beloved.   -- Friday, April 11, 1 p.m.

Part of Michigan’s Fight for Freedom: The Civil War Era, a series of exhibits, presentations, performances and video showings that opened at the cultural center in February, Patrick and Me is complemented by two other opportunities to learn about heroes of the underground railroad. 

Dr. Nathan Thomas: A Michigan Stop on the Road to Freedom - Nancy Rafferty, a retired teacher and librarian, and Schoolcraft, Mich., native, shares details from the biography she co-wrote of Dr. Nathan Thomas. Thomas, the first physician to settle in Kalamazoo County, sheltered an estimated 1,000 to 1,500 slaves on route to Canada after opening up his home in Schoolcraft to them. 

-- Wednesday, April 17, 1 p.m.     

Frederick Douglass from Slavery to Freedom: The Journey to New York City - Using excerpts from his autobiography, this month-long exhibit explores the life of Frederick Douglass, from his early, brutal days as a slave in Maryland to his eloquent championing of civil rights and his work as a “stationmaster” along the underground railroad.  -- April 1 - 30

Pre-registration is required for all events, excluding exhibits and video showings.  School and group tours are also available.  For a full schedule of events, more information or to register, visit www.lorenzoculturalcenter.com or call 586.445.7348.

The Lorenzo Cultural Center is located on Macomb Community College’s Center Campus, Hall and Garfield roads in Clinton Township.  The cultural center is open Wednesdays through Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and on Sundays from 1 to 4 p.m.