Exhibition: Through Darkness to Light: Photographs along the Underground Railroad

Underground Railroad Station with Tunnel Leading to Another Conductor's House; Centerville, Indiana

September 10, 2022 - January 6, 2023

While many books have been written on the subject, there is very little visual documentation of the Underground Railroad. Photographer Jeanine Michna-Bales spent more than a decade researching and documenting the roughly 2,000 mile path to freedom. From Louisiana to the Canadian border, this collection of photographs helps us imagine what the long road to freedom may have looked like. Today, as America becomes more diverse, Michna-Bales believes that an understanding of the experience is more relevant than ever. Through Darkness to Light features beautifully dramatic color photographs, ephemera, and narratives that together tell the story of the Underground Railroad.

This exhibition was organized by ExhibitsUSA, a program of Mid-America Arts Alliance and the National Endowment for the Arts.

Photo caption: Jeanine Michna-Bales, Look for the Grey Barn Out Back. Joshua Eliason Jr. barnyards and farmhouse, with a tunnel leading underneath the road to another station, Centerville, Indiana, 2013; chromogenic print.

This exhibit is ideal for middle school and high school field trips. Book a field trip here.

Learn more about the exhibit and access lesson plans, here.

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