NPS News release:
Hosanna African Union Methodist Protestant Church and Cemetery Site in Lincoln, Pennsylvania Recognized
The Network to Freedom Accepts New Listings
Date: September 19, 2023
Contact: network_to_freedom@nps.gov
Church Creek, MD – The National Park Service’s National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom accepted the Hosanna African Union Methodist Protestant Church and Cemetery site, in Lincoln, Pennsylvania., as one of 23 new listings, from the 46th round of applications, representing sites and programs in 14 states across the U.S. and Canada. These new listings, alongside more than 750 sites, facilities, and programs already in the Network, provide insight into the diverse experiences of freedom seekers who bravely escaped slavery and allies who assisted them.
"Our national program has been dedicated to preserving and commemorating stories of freedom for the past 25 years.” says Ka’mal McClarin, acting National Program Manager. “Today, we find ourselves at a crucial turning point that marks the beginning of a new chapter in our journey to honor the bravery and resilience of countless known and unknown freedom seekers through various sites, programs, and facilities. This round of nominations highlights 19 unique locations and four new programs, casting light on the courageous journeys of those who sought their freedom and the allies who supported them. As we welcome these 23 new additions to our collection of over 740 stories, we are reminded that pursuing freedom is a tapestry woven with courage, resilience, and interracial unity. Together, we continue to uncover and celebrate the profound legacy of the Underground Railroad, inspiring future generations to uphold the values of liberty and justice for all."
Hosanna African Union Methodist Protestant (AUMP) Church and Cemetery are surviving monuments to the 19th century village of Hinsonville (now Lincoln University, PA) that was settled by free and determined to be free Black Americans who were landowners and laborers, and directly involved in major social movements that transformed our country such as their involvement in the Underground Railroad and abolition of slavery. Hosanna hosted abolitionist meetings, and its members operated within the extensive, interracial network of pro-freedom activists. Worship services provided sanctuary for freedom seekers while members like Thomas Fitzgerald sheltered and fed freedom seekers at his property across the road from Hosanna.
The National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom serves to honor, preserve, and promote the history of resistance to enslavement through escape and flight, which continues to inspire people worldwide. The Network currently represents over 740 locations in 40 states, plus Washington D.C. and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Through its mission, the Network to Freedom helps to advance the idea that all human beings embrace the right to self-determination and freedom from oppression.
https://www.nps.gov/ugrr