Underground Railroad Eduction Center

About this activity

History awaits at The Underground Railroad Education Center! Here you can discover the fascinating local and national history of the Underground Railroad movement in Albany!

So kids, are you ready to hear some of the really important history which you can learn MORE about when you visit?

Well, did you know that The Underground Railroad was the movement that enslaved African Americans used to gain freedom back in the 19th Century? In fact, the Capital Region of New York State was visited by thousands of fugitives who were seeking their freedom in the years prior to the Civil War.

Today, the Underground Railroad Education Center aims to acknowledge the active underground railroad movement within the Albany region, and to also raise awareness about and stimulate interest in this little recognized and inspiring part of the region's history. All who visit can understand about the history in its historic context, and they also want to share the stories of local historic figures along with the activities in which they engaged. 

You also might hear about the Stephen and Harriet Myers Residence - that is part of the history too! In fact, their residence was a headquarters for the Underground Railroad activity within the Capital Region in the mid 1850’s, and today there are still fliers and paperwork that survived from that period along with other historic records.

Stephen and Harriet Myers, who lived in this building in the mid-1850’s, were the central Underground Railroad activists in the Capital Region.

The building is still privately owned from when it was built back in 1847, but had suffered from serious neglect. Since its purchase, scores of incredible volunteers have helped bring the house back to what it was in the 1850’s! How amazing!

Today, and luckily for you, this historic site is a place where the community can come to learn about and be transformed by the incredible and inspiring story of the Underground Railroad, the first integrated civil rights movement in the USA, as well as its relevance for us today.

An outstanding artifact of the Anti-slavery and Underground Railroad period, the Stephen and Harriet Myers Residence, and the Underground Railroad Education Center are truly worth a stop on any trip to Albany.