Fight Against Slavery on the Great Plains

Enjoy an afternoon filled with art and history! Nebraska historian Bill Hayes discusses the issue of slavery in the U.S. during the 1850s and the controversy surrounding the Kansas-Nebraska Act, and how the issue affected people moving to the Nebraska Territory. The presentation describes the overall history of the Underground Railroad and how the movement became connected with the Great Plains. Hayes explores how the Underground Railroad formed in Nebraska and emphasizes specific sites where escaping enslaved persons most likely found refuge on their journey north to freedom.

Guests are also invited to explore Through Darkness to Light, an exhibit featuring photographs taken along a route that was once part of the Underground Railroad. Photographer Jeanine Michna-Bales spent more than a decade researching the ways fugitive slaves escaped to freedom and traveled roughly 2,000 miles to visit actual sites, cities, and places that freedom-seekers passed through during their journey. 

This program is free to attend and perfect for high school students studying American History prior to the Civil War! If you would like to bring students, please contact Director of Education and Engagement Rachel Olsen at rolsen@willacather.org. 

Humanities Nebraska (HN) provides major funding for this program.  HN receives support from the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Nebraska State Legislature, the Nebraska Cultural Endowment, and private donations. 

Programming at the National Willa Cather Center's Red Cloud Opera House Gallery is made possible with the support of the Baldwin Foundation, Nebraska Arts Council, and the Nebraska Cultural Endowment.

About the Speaker

Bill Hayes grew up in the historic town of Brownville. He received his B.A. in History from Peru State College in 2005 and his M.A. in History from the University of Nebraska at Kearney. He was involved in with the Mayhew Cabin historic site from 2006 to 2020 and served as the Volunteer Director for many of those years. He performed research on the Underground Railroad in the region while involved with the Mayhew Cabin. He presented a paper at the 2010 National Underground Railroad Conference in Topeka and helped coordinate the 2011 Nebraska Network to Freedom Conference in Nebraska City. He is a past member of the Brownville Historical Society Board and the 1848 Venture Crew (Civil War reenacting group). In addition, he is the Coordinator of the Missouri River Basin Lewis & Clark Reenactors Corps in Nebraska City.

The National Willa Cather Center is ADA accessible. We offer physical, visual, and audio accommodations for all attendees. If you require handicapped accessible seating, an ASL interpreter, or any other accommodations, please contact our Visitor Services Coordinator, Nick Powers, at npowers@willacather.org. Advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility needs.

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