Pennsbury Staff Tours Underground Railroad Sites In Area

August 29, 2022

A group of Pennsbury staff.
Credit: Submitted

Teachers, administrators, and support staff from the Pennsbury School District recently had to the chance to tour historic sites connected to the Underground Railroad in Lower Bucks County.

The nonprofit African American Museum of Bucks County (AAMBC) led two groups of Pennsbury staff to the historic sites in July and August.

The sites served as weigh stations and hiding places along the Underground Railroad as slaves fled their captivity and forced labor.

Museum board member Deal Wright speaking to Pennsbury staff.
Credit: Submitted

The tours visited the Bensalem AME (African Methodist Episcopal Church) Church, the Bethel AME Church in Langhorne Borough, the Harriet Tubman statue and homes along Radcliffe Street in Bristol Borough, and The Continental Tavern in Yardley Borough.

“The tours explored the plight of those enslaved as they made their dangerous escape from servitude, and the key role played by the AME churches, Quakers, and other abolitionists in Bucks County. Ultimately, the tour described how freed Blacks were able to escape to safe havens, such as New York and Nova Scotia, Canada, while some freed Blacks stayed and built their communities right here in Bucks County,” the African American Museum of Bucks County said in statement.

Museum board member Roger Brown speaks to Pennsbury staff.
Credit: Submitted

Linda Salley, the president of the African American Museum of Bucks County, said the tours shared the “untold stories and reveal hidden figures right here in Bucks County to our citizens as well as visitors.”

“We were particularly pleased to share this history with Pennsbury teachers and administrators, as they are responsible for educating our children, who represent the future of our country,” she said.

Dr. Cherrissa Gibson, director of human resources, professional development, and equity for Pennsbury stated: “We are pleased to have the AAMBC (African American Museum of Bucks County) as a resource for our teachers and students. We recognize that local history is important for our students and their families, and the AAMBC can teach us a lot about the key role that people in Bucks County played in American History.”

Visit Bucks County created a page highlighting key Underground Railroad locations in the area.