The Underground Railroad was not underground, was not a railroad, and was not a single route or system of trails. It was the term used to describe both random and concerted effort for people to free themselves from bondage. Louisiana’s stories of freedom, like the Underground Railroad itself, are hidden in secrecy and mystery. The struggle for freedom ran deep in the hearts of the enslaved Africans in Louisiana as elsewhere in the country. The spirit of self-sacrifice for the cause of freedom and democracy has been present throughout the history of African Americans.

>>Curriculum Guide Coming Fall 2008

The “Freedom Garden” reveals the history of Louisiana’s Underground Railroad and shows a variety of vegetation that was cultivated through the use of slave labor. Freedom seekers might have used the edible and medicinal plants displayed in this garden as a mechanism of survival while escaping from the plantations in the region. Some of the plants are indigenous to Africa, some were domesticated on the plantations, and many could be found in the wilderness along the bayous, rivers and swamps.

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The Scavengers Hunts found in this section of the website may be used by teachers for grades 3 - 12 who are planning visits to the River Road African American Museum. This is the first in a series of interactive resource materials that can be used by students and teachers that will enhance your visit to the musuem. Please download this file or have students download the questions and bring the questions with them on the tour. Students will be given time after eache tour to find the answers; staff is available to assist them.

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Scavenger Hunt #1
Scavenger Hunt #2