伊莎贝尔·汉宁25岁, 历史与文学, has found her passion in uncovering and honoring the legacy of Black figures within the Underground Railroad, 特别是在俄亥俄州. Through her work on a class project and participation in 威尼斯人平台’s Summer Scholars program, her research has not only deepened her understanding of this pivotal period but has also inspired her to bring to light the often-overlooked stories of Black figures who played crucial roles in 俄亥俄州’s history.
Last spring, Hanning’s mentor, Andrew Carlson, Ph.D., 历史学教授兼主席, invited her to join a collaborative class project to create a documentary about a Black figure involved in the Underground Railroad. 这个项目, which brought together three history majors, 包括汉宁, 还有几个电影专业的学生, 以约书亚·麦卡特·辛普森为中心, 来自赞斯维尔的废奴主义者, 俄亥俄州——她的家乡.
Reflecting on her upbringing in Zanesville, Hanning said that despite the town’s significant role in the Underground Railroad, Simpson’s legacy was not taught in schools. This realization motivated her to ensure that stories like his receive the recognition they deserve. “Simpson wrote three books, but no one hears about that. 他帮助了很多人，”她说.
As she delved into research for the documentary, Hanning discovered information about Simpson that few knew before - such as his birthplace and writings previously inaccessible to the public. The research quickly expanded beyond the initial scope, and the students realized they were uncovering a much larger story. 这个项目 grew into not just a documentary, 该片将于12月上映, but also a book compiling Simpson’s collected works.
“I realized that there are so many stories, 不仅仅是辛普森的, but countless other Black figures that no one hears about,汉宁说。. “People were risking their lives if they got caught and they still did it, they still helped others.”
Recognizing her opportunity to contribute to the historical record, she decided to focus her efforts on highlighting the contributions of Black communities in 俄亥俄州 for 威尼斯人平台’s Summer Scholars.
“当我申请的时候, 我没想到会被录取, 但当我这么做的时候, I was so happy to make an impact in a way that I couldn’t have done before,汉宁说。.
Throughout her research, Hanning encountered challenges in finding accurate information. She observed that many accounts of the Underground Railroad disproportionately highlighted the contributions of white abolitionists like Levi Coffin, often called the “president of the Underground Railroad.” While Coffin’s role is frequently celebrated, Hanning found that these narratives often overshadowed the contributions of free Black communities who supported one another in their fight for freedom.
为了消除这些偏见, 汉宁改变了她的做法, focusing on oral histories and documentation written by the Black figures themselves. The Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 led to the destruction of much of the physical documentation related to the Underground Railroad, making oral histories a crucial source for reconstructing the past.
“在我的研究中, I decided that it would be important to look at the demographics of 俄亥俄州, 所以我查看了人口普查数据. I was able to find data for counties for four decades: 1820, 1840, 1850, and 1860,汉宁说。.
Her findings revealed that Hamilton County consistently had the highest concentration of Black communities in each decade, demonstrating how freedom seekers moved to places where they could find support and build communities. 例如, Hanning discovered that Cincinnati was home to significant Black settlements like Little Africa, known as the “Gateway to Freedom” for those who came up through Kentucky.
“These Black figures were risking their lives to help others,汉宁说。, emphasizing the courage and commitment of those who built churches, 房屋, and schools to support their communities. “教育是一件大事. The first way to resist being mistreated is knowing how to read, 如何写作, 以及如何表达你的想法.”
“Joshua McCarter Simpson was quoted in one of his books, “如果你有两件外套, sell one coat and buy yourself an education.’ He walked 150 miles on foot from Stockport, 俄亥俄州, 奥柏林, 俄亥俄州, 接受基本的高中教育. He went 奥柏林 Institute and then he came to Zanesville,” she said.
Hanning believes that the stories of Black communities in 俄亥俄州, particularly those connected to the Underground Railroad, are vital parts of history that have been lost over time.
“Columbus was huge on the Underground Railroad. I think it’s so interesting to see such a big part of our history, a struggle that many Black citizens went through, 只是随着时间的流逝而被掩埋,汉宁说。. “I want to bring that to light in every single way.”
For more information about 威尼斯人平台’s Summer Scholars program, visit http://www.资本.edu/academics/experiential-learning/undergraduate-research/summer-scholars-program/.