An African Methodist Episcopal Churchs Secret doorway to the Underground Railroad. The Mount Zion African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church in Woolwich Township, New Jersey, an Underground Railroad site. This is its secret, three foot by four foot trap door in the floor of the churchs vestibule. It provided access to a hiding place in the crawlspace under the floor. The church was always a safe haven, and several original members of the congregation, including Pompey Lewis and Jubilee Sharper, directed conductors, engineers and enslaved Africans north after taking care of their personal needs. A secret, three foot by four foot trap door in the floor of the churchs vestibule provided access to a hiding place in the crawlspace under the floor. ------ Listen to Your Black History Internet Radio show The Gist of Freedom on itunesBlackHistoryUniversity or on blog talk blackhistoryblog ------ The AME Church was organized nationally in 1816 under the leadership of Richard Allen, a very successful African-American circuit preacher. Allen and all AME circuit preachers played an important role in the protection and movement of runaway slaves as they moved through counties and conveyed directions, relayed messages and provided shelter. One well-known Underground Railroad route was the Greenwich Line that began in the hamlet of Springtown, led 25 miles north to Small Gloucester, and continued north to Mount Holly, Burlington and Jersey City, New Jersey. The communities along this route were ideal stations on the Underground Railroad as they were situated about 20 miles apart, surrounded by Quaker land which was often swampy or dense woods, and inhabited by many free African-Americans. For more than 10 years, Harriet Tubman helped operate this line.
Posted on: Sun, 07 Dec 2014 15:09:40 +0000
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