Frederick Douglass International Underground Railroad Conference and Freedom Festival is Sept. 28-30 -- Juan Williams, Bernice Johnson Reagon & Darryl Van Leer to Deliver Keynotes

Illuminating the compelling stories, the courageous people, and historic places on the Underground Railroad The Underground Railroad represents the best of humanity. As we bring to life one of America's most remarkable stories this conference represents an extraordinary opportunity to attain a better understanding of how the Underground Railroad has impacted who we are today.

Rochester, NY (PRWEB) May 3, 2007 -- Leadership of the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center in Cincinnati, Ohio and the Rochester/Monroe County Freedom Trail Commission in Rochester, New York today announced the program and speakers for the Frederick Douglass International Underground Railroad Conference and Freedom Festival to be held in Rochester, NY September 28-30.

More than 35 nationally-recognized authorities on the Underground Railroad will convene in Rochester to bring to life one of America's most remarkable stories, illuminating compelling accounts of courageous people and historic places. Integrated with the conference will be a Freedom Festival, a series of events that will provide an opportunity for the general public to celebrate this heritage.

Keynote Events:

* Juan Williams, Opening Keynote, Friday September 28 - one of America's leading political writers and thinkers. He is the senior correspondent for NPR, a political analyst for Fox Television, and a regular panelist for FoxNews Sunday. In addition to prize-winning columns and editorial writing for The Washington Post, he has also authored six books.

* Darryl Van Leer, My Life in Bondage, Friday September 28 - Award-winning actor, performer of Power on Earth. The versatile performer began his television acting career by working regularly on Black Entertainment Network's Bobby Jones Gospel Show as a background vocalist, writer and photographer. Today, he enjoys a successful and varied career in film and TV as a featured performer.

* Bernice Johnson Reagon, Keynote, Saturday September 29, 2007 - the major cultural voice for freedom and justice; singing, teaching--speaking out against racism and organized inequities of all kinds. She is Professor Emerita of History at American University, Curator Emerita at the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History.

Dr. Alfreda Brown, Conference Chair and Chief Diversity Officer for Rochester Institute of Technology said, "This conference will provide an extraordinary opportunity for educators, researchers, curators, historians and others to attain a better understanding of how the Underground Railroad has impacted who we are today and how relevant this heroic and triumphant struggle is to addressing current social and cultural issues."

"This conference will enable educators and others in the learning community to engage in substantive educational activities on these topics," said David Anderson, Chairman of the Rochester/Monroe County Freedom Trail Commission. "Racism, secrecy and the passage of time have hindered the research and dissemination of accurate information about Frederick Douglass and the Underground Railroad. It is therefore absent from most textbooks, and most history."

"Once more, in urban centers, where the majority school population is African American, there is an urgent need for culturally enriching educational programs that engage African Americans in the descendent experience, and provide positive role models."

The Conference is fittingly named for Frederick Douglass, who spent twenty-five years (1847-1872) - one of the most productive periods of his life - in Rochester, New York. The self-made leader, who rose from an impoverished birth into chattel slavery, gained eminence as a powerful orator, renowned author, newspaper editor, and statesman. Douglass became the most celebrated African American of the1800s, and assumed the status of an American icon: a visible public representative of African Americans and the public conscience of a great moral struggle familiar to all Americans.

It was also in Rochester, 160 years ago in 1847, that Douglass launched an assault on slavery through the power of the press, establishing the North Star, one of the most influential African American antislavery papers.

More than 30 other Presenters Leading Experts on the Underground Railroad!

Tony Burroughs, Professional Genealogist

Linda Cousins-newton, Founder, Nana Tubman Honor in

Ghana Project & Director, Ancestral Promotions

Anthony Cohen, President, the Menare Foundation, Inc.

Claudine Dixon, Library Media Specialist, Greece Central School District

Christopher Densmore, Curator, Friends Historical Library, Swarthmore College

Walter Gable, M ed, M.S., Seneca County Historian

Katherine Gagne, M ed, Teacher, Penn Yan Central Schools

Kim and Reggie Harris

Nancy A. Hewitt, phD, Professor, Rutgers University

Rickerby Hinds, MFA, Playwright, University of California, Riverside

Dean V. June, Teacher, Attica Central School

Lea Kemp

pepsy M. Kettavong, Artist

Kate Clifford Larson, phD, Professor, Simmons College

Karen Livsey

Harry Bradshaw Matthews, M ed, Associate Dean and Director, U.S. Pluralism Programs, Hartwick College

Timothy McDonnell, M ed, Board Member/Newsletter Editor,New York Geographic Alliance

John R. McKivigan, phD, Professor, Indiana University- Purdue University at Indianapolis

owen W. Muelder, Director, Galesburg Colony Underground

Railroad Freedom Station at Knox College

Donald earl papson, M ed, President, North Country Underground Railroad Historical Association

Marie Kent parsons & performers for Readers Theater Production Researcher, Writer & Editor, Creative Non- Fiction Writer

Monique patenaude, PhD Candidate, Graduate Student/ A.B.D., University of Rochester

Molly Rule, Newspaper in Education Coordinator, Democrat and Chronicle Newspaper

Rosemary Sadlier, President, Ontario Black History Society

James Schroeder, Social Studies Teacher, Greece Central School District

Virginia Sullivan, New Routes Coordinator, Adventure Cycling Association

Dr. Stephen Thomas, Director, Center for Minority Health, Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh

Judith Wellman, phD, Director, Historical New York Research Associates

Delores M. Walters, phD, Educational Program Consultant

Fees, Registration, Sponsorship Opportunities and More Information

For a complete schedule, to read more about speakers and to register online visit http: www.workforcediversitynetwork.com (Workforce Diversity Network). The Full Conference fee including all keynotes and choice of concurrent sessions is $150 (save $25 by registering on or before August 31.) Tickets for keynote events may also be purchased separately: $40 for Juan Williams luncheon ($350 for tables of 10), $25 for Bernice Johnson Reagon's talk, and $35 for Darryl Van Leer's performance and reception.

Activities and fees for the Freedom Festival will be announced at a later date.

For more information visit the Web site, sign up for email alerts or call 585-256-4642.

Additional sponsorship opportunities are available for organizations and patrons. For more information contact Mike Streeter, 315-333-4009.

The Conference is presented by the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center in Cincinnati, Ohio, the Rochester/Monroe County Freedom Trail Commission, and made possible through the generous support of Rochester Area Community Foundation, Monroe County, the City of Rochester, Rochester Institute of Technology, the University of Rochester and the Workforce Diversity Network.

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