UGR3DAY

06/20/2026

I had the honor of spending part of my day this week at the Delaware Public Archives, where I had the pleasure of speaking with members of Delaware Links.

I am grateful to have had the opportunity to share about the development of Delaware's K–12 Black History Curriculum, as well as some of our state's lesser known history. Thank you to the Racial Equity Consortium .delaware for their vision, initiation, and support of this project.

Thank you to Delaware Links for the warm welcome and the opportunity to engage in meaningful conversation about the importance of preserving and teaching the stories that have shaped our state.

06/19/2026

Does your group or organization need volunteer hours?

Curious about an 18th-century home that still stands today in Smyrna, Delaware? Explore a historic property once owned by an Underground Railroad conductor, featuring hidden spaces and located just minutes from documented freedom-seeker escape routes.

Join Conductor Dee for a community road cleanup along this historic Smyrna roadway while uncovering the stories, people, and places that shaped Delaware's Underground Railroad history.

To schedule your hour of service, contact [email protected]

06/19/2026

Today we celebrate Juneteenth, a day that commemorates freedom, resilience, and the enduring spirit of a people who never stopped pursuing liberty.

While many associate emancipation with January 1, 1863, the Emancipation Proclamation did not free all enslaved people. It applied only to states in rebellion against the Union and did not include Delaware, a Union state where slavery remained legal.

On June 19, 1865, news of freedom finally reached enslaved people in Texas, giving rise to the celebration we now know as Juneteenth. Yet even then, freedom was not fully realized everywhere. In Delaware, documented slave auctions continued during the summer of 1865, despite the nation's movement toward abolition.

True nationwide emancipation did not come until the ratification of the 13th Amendment in December 1865, which permanently abolished slavery throughout the United States, including Delaware.

Today, we remember this complex history and honor the courage, perseverance, and faith of those who endured the horrors of slavery while never losing sight of freedom. We celebrate the indescribable joy that families and communities must have felt as the promise of liberty finally became reality!

06/19/2026

If you missed our tour of lost Little Jersey, gather your group and schedule today!
[email protected]

This Juneteenth, take a moment to learn about Little Jersey, a forgotten free Black community that once thrived on lands that are now part of Lums Pond State Park.

Their story is one of resilience, perseverance, and an important chapter of Delaware history that deserves to be remembered.

For more information head to the link in the comments.

06/19/2026

Delaware Breakwater East End Lighthouse is just off the shore of Lewes. In the 1800s, the coast became the site of a documented Underground Railroad escape. Four young men, the youngest being 19, risked their lives crossing the Delaware Bay in a small skiff. They made it safely to New Jersey!

06/18/2026

Iconic Lighthouse Tours

When we think about the Underground Railroad, we often picture roads, forests, and safe houses. But some journeys to freedom happened on the water.

From the shores of Lewes, Delaware, four young men risked their lives crossing the Delaware Bay in a small skiff on their way to freedom in New Jersey.

Here's a view from the Delaware Breakwater East End Lighthouse to the Cape May Lighthouse, which is a witness lighthouses to freedom escapes.

06/18/2026

Did you know lighthouses are part of the Underground Railroad story?

For freedom seekers like WILLIAM THOMAS COPE, JOHN BOICE GREY, HENRY BOICE AND ISAAC WHITE crossing the Delaware Bay, landmarks like the Cape May Lighthouse were more than navigational aids, they were symbols of hope. New Jersey was a free state, and this lighthouse would have been one of the first sights visible as they approached freedom by water.

Recently, I climbed the lighthouse's 115 steps for a breathtaking view of the Delaware Bay and a deeper appreciation for those who risked everything for freedom.

The present lighthouse, completed in 1859, is the third lighthouse to stand at Cape May Point, following earlier towers built in 1823 and 1847. Standing 157½ feet tall, it has watched over the entrance to the Delaware Bay for generations.

Want to see inside and learn more about the escape mentioned? Check out our reel!

06/18/2026

Today in Underground Railroad History…
On this day in 1833, more than 400 citizens of Detroit descend on the city jail to free Thornton Blackburn, a freedom seeker who had lived in the city for two years after escaping from Kentucky with his wife, Lucie. After a judge ruled that the couple must be returned, Lucie received a visit from the wives of Baptist ministers, who switched clothes with her, enabling her to escape. Thornton is liberated after the sheriff receives a fatal beating and then outraces his pursuers to the Detroit River, where he successfully crosses to join his wife and become leaders of Canada’s anti-slavery movement.
Like it? Share it!

06/17/2026

Road trip!

We're thrilled to see that New York State has officially designated the new Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad NY Byway, connecting Auburn to Niagara Falls to honor Harriet Tubman and other freedom seekers!

The portion of the byway that we cover is all about the beginning of Harriet Tubman's journey – her early years, her escape to freedom, and her repeated returns to lead others to freedom in Maryland, Delaware, and Pennsylvania.

Once the Fugitive Slave Act was enacted, she also led freedom seekers to New York and on to Canada. She later moved to Auburn, New York, where she lived for more than 50 years. This is the part of her story that this new byway will cover.

⭐️ Learn more at tubmanbywayny.org.

06/17/2026

Step back in time and uncover the stories hidden beneath the trees of Lums Pond. Once home to the historic free Black community of Little Jersey, this powerful experience explores who lived there, what archaeologists discovered, and how closely connected the community was to the Underground Railroad.

Walk where history happened, discover the lives of its residents, and see the landscape through a new lens. Book your group tour today: [email protected]

Music provided by our music guy, Lee!

Special thanks to Delaware African American Homeschool group for booking this moving classroom experience!