In the decades prior to the Civil War, the Detroit River borderland became the foremost crossing point for fugitive slaves seeking freedom in Canada. This talk will explore how and why the borderland became a destination for runaway slaves from Kentucky, western Virginia, Missouri and other slave states; how the community in Detroit, Monroe and elsewhere rallied to protect runaways in so-called "slave riots" and rescues during the 1830s; and how institutions such as churches, Masonic organizations and the militant Colored Vigilant Committee of Detroit developed more systematic forms of assistance in the 1840s and 1850s. The last runaway was helped through the borderland in 1862 and the Underground Railroad passed into memory. Dr. Roy Finkenbine, professor of history, University of Detroit Mercy, will lead this class.

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