Location: South Bethel Church at the Cedar County Museum grounds1094 Hwy 38Tipton, IA 52772 (map)
Contact: Sandy Harmel (cchsmus@netins.net)
Details Teacher to walk 500 miles along Underground Railroad It's one small step for Barry Jurgensen and one giant leap in the fight against slavery and human trafficking. When the high school history teacher sets out on June 1 from Nebraska City, Neb. He'll start a month long 500 mile trek to Chicago for a project he's calling "Walk Forever Free". Along the way, he'll tell the story of two former slaves - Eliza Grayson and a woman history remembers only as Celia - who followed the same route to their freedom in 1858, with help from the Underground Railroad. The women made their undercover journey more than 150 years ago, but the challenges they faced are still all too real today. That's why Jurgensen, an Iowan who teaches at Arlington High School in Nebraska, hopes to raise $50 per mile for the Frederick Douglass Family Initiatives (www.fdfi.org), an international nonprofit that fights against modern day slavery and human trafficking. The group educates students, teachers and community groups about practical ways to combat the worldwide scourge. "It's important that children be given the tools to protect themselves and their peers," Jurgensen said. "Education is the most effective weapon to stop human trafficking. The fight against slavery is not over." "History shows that to fight against injustice, people have to come together across barriers and stand up for the rights of others," he said. "As a teacher, I simply cannot work with vulnerable young people every day and continue to ignore the injustice around us. That is what prompted me to do something, in a tangible way, to shed light on the darkness of slavery and human trafficking." (Courtesy of Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs) Jurgensen will be here to share his story about Celia and Eliza June 19, 2016. Please come and listen to their story and help Jurgensen in his quest. Admission is free while donations will be greatly appreciated. He will speak at the South Bethel Church at the Cedar County Museum grounds, 1094 Hwy 38, Tipton (North of Tipton) at 7:00 PM.