The Journey to Midnight: A Simulated Reenactment of a Slave’s Flight to Freedom on the Underground Railroad.
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We were greeted by deep soulful voices that sang out in perfect melodious harmony. The haunting lyrics of the old spirituals spoke of a time in our history we all wish we could forget. In honor of Black History Month, as a family, we journeyed to "Midnight" the secret code name for the last stop before reaching freedom on the historic Underground Railroad, otherwise known as Detroit.
Our adventure began at the First Congregational Church of Detroit. Once used as a safe house and final resting stop, this church represents thousands of unsung heroes that risked everything to help fight the abolitionist cause. Below is a description of our experience and what you can expect from this simulated experience.
Here is a picture of our “Runaways” moments after they achieved freedom. It is so important to teach our children about our past, so we can help shape our futures. Thankfully, slavery is illegal, but horrifically, it continues to this day. There are more people currently enslaved around the world, than the 400 years the Trans-Atlantic slave trade operated. We should learn from the brave men and women from our past, and we should all become modern-day abolitionists!
Once you arrive, you are greeted by an amazing woman named Michelle. This regal lady has been volunteering at the museum for many years, is passionate about the cause she represents, and incredibly eager to share the history of the church's role during the Underground Railroad. After paying, we were led into a beautiful Baroque revival chapel, where we sat with other people waiting for the tour.
Due to the size of the living museum, people are placed in individual groups of thirteen and when ready a "Conductor" from the Underground Railroad will call you to join him. While you are waiting for your groups turn, you watch a very thorough documentary revealing the various horrors from this regrettable time in our history; the very reason why it is essential that we celebrate Black History Month and never forget.
When it was our turn, our Conductor "Zeke" transported us to another time. We were led down the old musty stairs into the deep cavernous lair of what becomes the starting point of your journey to freedom. Tucked away in the deep bayous of New Orleans, Zeke leads you to a small hovel of a shed where "Granny" is there to bestow a prayer over you before you head out on your treacherous journey to freedom. The simulated experience is full of actors playing various roles. Some act as adversaries, others as friends, but through it all, Zeke is with you guiding you to Midnight and your ultimate freedom Heaven (Canada) by way of crossing the imposing Detroit River.
Along the way, you learn about different signals that are left behind to let the wary traveler know which way to go to freedom and whether or not the path is safe, such as lanterns in windows, quilts draped on front porches, or directions carved in trees. One such signal is two boots placed toe-to-heal. This would be a signal that all was clear and safe to proceed. This imperative trail marker would be left as a "green flag" by a local inn/tavern-keeper named Finney. He would entice slave bounty hunters into his tavern and offer them a "generous" amount of whiskey, which would allow the other abolitionists to help the runaway slaves enter or leave the designated safe house unnoticed. Because of Finney's quick thinking, many slaves escaped to freedom.
Detroit was a major Line for the Underground Railroad. Slaves would follow the North Star in hope of finding freedom. Sadly, after the Fugitive Slave Act was passed in 1850, just being in the North did not guarantee their freedom. Slaves were captured by bounty hunters and forcibly returned to their “masters.” That is why, Detroit played such a pivotal role in the final escape to freedom, Canada.
Our final stretch led us to the banks of the Detroit River. Freedom was so close, yet so far. Zeke reminded us that the majority of the people crossing did not know how to swim, so even in their last ditched effort to achieve freedom, they had one last perilous journey to make. Many reached the figurative Heaven, known as Canada, but sadly, many did not succeed; they were swallowed by the unforgiving current of the river.
As we "fought" the current, while finally reaching the other side of the river, Zeke led us in a chorus of voices rising up to chant the words, “FREEDOM! FREEDOM! FREEDOM!"
WE WERE FREE AT LAST!
WHAT TO KNOW BEFORE YOU GO
The overall experience was very good. I would like to share the pros and cons of our escape to freedom. As a history teacher and mama who is passionate about teaching my children TRUE history, I believe that it was a day well spent.
PROS
In honor of Black History month, this is a great day trip to learn about the Underground Railroad and the role that Michigan played within the abolitionist movement.
The actors are phenomenal! They stay in character through the entire tour and transport you into history.
It is an easy drive and very easy to find, which makes it a fun day trip for any history-loving family. Before you go, I would recommend preparing your children. A couple of good books that do a great job retelling the history of the Underground Railroad are What Was the Underground Railroad? and Who Was Harriet Tubman? These are kid-friendly non-fiction books that I read to my kiddos before we made our journey to “Midnight,” and I know that it brought more meaning to their experience.
CONS
I don't like pointing out any negatives because the whole experience is so powerful, but there are a few downsides to consider, especially for families with young children. Unfortunately, the conductors can only travel with thirteen people at a time. That means the rest of the 50 plus people are waiting in the chapel until it is their turn to make the journey. In an attempt to entertain their guests, they offer a very lengthy and "dry" documentary for the audience to watch while they wait. I am a history teacher, so I could fully appreciate the documentary, but after having to sit and wait for an hour, my two small children were polite and respectful, but definitely wiggly and ready to go.
The Escape to Freedom simulation is very realistic; you need to make sure that your child is not easily scared. In all honesty, I am having some Mama's regret because after the experience my son shared with me that he was quite scared. Most of the journey is in the dark with only minimal light. There are people along the path that are meant to emulate an authentic experience; the path to freedom could be scary, and this experience reminds you of that. Small children could be too scared.
No photos or videos allowed! This was a HUGE disappointment. My husband is a professional photographer, so I was really looking forward to him capturing our experience, but alas, we were not allowed. I guess the good thing was, we were fully engaged in the moment, not worrying about whether or not we got a “good” shot.
HOW DO YOU GET THERE AND WHEN TO GO?
We visited on a Saturday, so the cost of the experience was slightly more expensive than if we had visited on a weekday. The museum is open Tuesday-Saturday. Here is a link to their website which includes pricing and the best time to visit.
I would encourage the next time you are looking for something to enrich your family’s historical knowledge, pay a visit to The Underground Railroad Living Museum and don’t forget to subscribe to our newsletter to stay updated on other really cool places to visit, explore, and experience.
Until our next adventure,
Betsy
Did you enjoy the blog? Do you have another questions about the experience? Have you ever been before and can offer some additional insight? Then please leave a comment below. Thanks so much!
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