Glory Bound
Dark figures dart across an open field under the brightly lit night sky. The melodic “chirp, chirp” of crickets, combined with the “croak, croak” of bullfrogs sets the pace for these runaway slaves. Tonight they run to the next safe house - a white farmers home providing shelter to any and all slaves that are glory bound.
A cloud of young voices fills the air as students eagerly await their journey. It’s Feb. 22, 2011, at the University of Georgia in the Reed Hall lobby. Students- young, old, white, black and other, have gathered to participate in a desegregation event on UGA’s campus that aims to educate students about the difficulties and achievements of minorities in the past, especially linked with the Underground Railroad.
Azura Morgan, Residence Hall Director, says the Glory Bound event “is an interactive journey through the underground railroad.” She hopes this event will help students celebrate desegregation at UGA by highlighting one of the many struggles that African American people have survived. Risking personal safety, enduring hardship and striving for “something more” are characteristics of both the slavery struggle and the struggle to end segregation according to Morgan.
As students clamor into a line, The UGA Reed Community and Reed Community Council are working behind the scenes to make this event successful. “Journey guides” welcome students into Reed Hall, and then lead them on a journey through various rooms, each encompassing a certain aspect of the Underground Railroad.
The first stop, a dark and dreary study room that serves as the basement of a farmer’s safe house. The runaway slaves (Glory Bound participants) were given a bag of food by the farmer and his wife, expected to last for days. The bag consisted of one not-so-tasty roll, a handful of trail mix and two pieces of beef jerky.
Just as participants were getting into the notion of sneaking around for their livelihood, they are lead through the halls into another multi-purpose room - this time a story and quilt reading session to point slaves toward the drinking gourd. The gourd (a constellation in the sky) meant glory and freedom, according to the older widow teaching participants how to notice its’ signs. Slaves used to create quilts with special patterns, encoded with directions to safe houses, and ultimately to freedom.
Participants continue their journey onward through the thick of the forest (really just outside next to some bushes) to the next safe house. Suddenly two frustrated and racist farmers start chasing the students while yelling hurtful words. Luckily, everyone was able to get away and arrived at the next stop, where participants were encouraged by Harriet Tubman herself. She pushed them to continue on and endure the struggles that come with slavery.
Lastly, participants walk to the final stop where they are sung to as congratulations for making it to freedom. The 20 minute journey through the interactive Underground Railroad exposed students to situations that runaway slaves might have encountered.
Residence Hall Director, Morgan, says, “The way the program was set up allowed people the chance to reflect and share on their experiences and the experiences of those who were part of the underground railroad. Because of this format, participants had the opportunity to appreciate different experiences and opinions.
One student and participant, Tosca Morgan, said “the event allowed me to think as a runaway slave. Since I am African American, I thought about what I would have done if I was a slave. Would I have run away or stayed?”
Glory Bound was created as a way for students to interact with the history of the Underground Railroad. The journey through Reed Hall was a re-creation of a past environment for students could really sense what it was like to be a part of the Underground Railroad.
Reed Community Residence Assistant and Glory Bound actor Nathan Nerswick said, “It helped me realize the tremendous achievement people overcame to be free.” Nerswick believes Glory Bound is an innovative and interactive way to help educate individuals about why the Underground Railroad and its participants were important.
The University of Georgia is celebrating the 50th Anniversary of Desegregation in many ways. Glory Bound aimed to help people realize the difficulties of fighting for freedom so that they may appreciate the freedoms we have today, says Morgan. The Reed Community decided to make this an annual event as an important reminder to everyone involved, that freedom wasn’t and isn’t free.
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