Juneteenth Celebration, Underground Railroad Museum Fundraiser Held at River City

WHEELING -- The Underground Railroad Museum of Flushing hosted a Juneteenth celebration and its first major fundraiser Friday evening at River City Restaurant.

At the beginning of the event, Kristina Estle, Underground Railroad Museum director, said that this year is the 20th anniversary of the Flushing location of the Underground Railroad Museum and the 30th anniversary of the Underground Railroad Foundation.

Estle also said that the event was entirely funded by the Mid-Atlantic Arts Council in Columbus, meaning that all funds raised support the Underground Railroad Museum.

Le Var Martin, a member of the Belmont County chapter of the NAACP, gave a speech titled "Diving Into Our History." He discussed Critical Race Theory and how religion, education and slavery intertwined. Martin also read an excerpt from the Emancipation Proclamation.

"Once the proclamation was read, some slaves stayed on the plantation and some wandered. To me, both were brave. Both were pioneers who started a new life," he said.

Martin concluded his speech by saying, "We have many triumphs to be thankful for. It ain't going to do nothing but get better."

The Underground Railroad Museum had items from the museum on display including children's hand shackles, a branding iron, a sign that reads "public swimming pool whites only" and a whip. All are remnants of slavery or the era of racial segregation in the United States.

Vondel Bell, a graphic design artist from Wheeling, unveiled a piece of artwork that will be displayed in the Underground Railroad Museum's "The Descent into Slavery" exhibit. The art piece shows a slave with chains around his neck. The Belmont County Tourism Council funded the exhibit.

After the unveiling of the artwork, dinner was served. "A Taste of Africa" featured an assortment of dishes including chicken, fish, shrimp, potatoes and rice from different African countries. The meal was prepared by chef Erica Ndinga, who is from the Congo.

Rory Rennick, a performer and magician from Columbus who is known for his appearance on America's Got Talent, re-enacted the story of Henry "Box" Brown, a man who escaped slavery by arranging to have himself mailed in a wooden crate and later became a magician and public speaker.

The Underground Railroad Museum is located at 121 E. High St. in Flushing. It is open from noon to 3 p.m. on Saturday and from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sunday from April through November.

The museum is closed during the winter. People who want to inquire about visiting the museum outside of normal hours can email info@ugrrf.org.

For more information, call 740-968-2080, visit the Underground Railroad Museum's Facebook page or go to ugrrf.org.