Historian McClellan to Present on the Underground Railroad

Hear untold stories of how enslaved people fled oppression by escaping north to Illinois and the Chicago area at 7 p.m. on April 4 at Lewis University in Romeoville. 

Listen to how black and white abolitionists assisted the Underground Railroad as Larry McClellan, professor emeritus of sociology and community studies at Governors State University, presents "Freedom Seekers and the Underground Railroad in the Chicago Area".

“This is a not-to-be-missed presentation by McClellan. His new book from Southern Illinois University Press set out how freedom seekers escaped their enslavers. It is a story of courage and determination,” said Dennis H. Cremin, History Department chair at Lewis University.

McClellan further asserts that transportation links, such as the I & M Canal, completed in 1848, and the later train route from Chicago to Detroit, expanded opportunities for the enslaved.

This event is free and open to the public and will be held in the University Dining Room (AS 104C). It is partially funded by the Lewis University History Department’s Sczepaniak Endowed Lecture Series. Visit https://www.alumni.lewisu.edu/2024-sczepaniak-spring-lecture for more information and registration.

For additional information, contact Sara Pasowicz, History Department administrative assistant, spasowicz@lewisu.edu or 815-836-5148.

Lewis University is an innovative Catholic university offering market-relevant undergraduate and graduate programs to 6,500 students. Sponsored by the De La Salle Christian Brothers, Lewis University is nationally recognized for preparing intellectually engaged, ethically grounded, and globally-connected graduates who impact the world for the better. Visit www.lewisu.edu for further information.