Ypsilanti has a rich history when it comes to the Underground Railroad. A history you can learn more about during Black History Month. Here is a quick glimpse of it.
Local historian Matt Siegfried joins me outside the Starkweather Farmhouse. It's located on North Huron River Drive, near Oakwood Street. A cabin that once stood about five-hundred feet away from the house, where a black employee by the name of George McCoy lived, was where some slaves found shelter before finding freedom in Canada. Matt says McCoy was connected with others in the region who were also part of the Underground Railroad and assisted with the journeys.
To help educate the public on Ypsilanti's African-American history, Matt created a website that focuses on the importance of South Adams Street. Click here to learn more about it.
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— Jorge Avellan is the Ann Arbor beat reporter for 89.1 WEMU News. Contact him at 734.487.3363 or email him javellan@emich.edu