Hi Bennie:

Thanks for the links to the Seminole Scouts. I visited your site and of course the Parks Service site. If the subject of the Seminole Scouts and their historic role in America wasn't so serious, I would be laughing at the "stretch" to include it in the Underground Railroad. I still am very pleased that the Parks Service includes these historic sites in its database. But what I find so puzzling is again, the free use or catch-all phrase of the term "Underground Railroad."

It's bad enough when the majority of Americans' reaction to the UNGRR is a vague reference to the Little Eva, Uncle Tom and the North Star and a mumble or two by the more "enlightened" about Harriet Tubman and nothing else. Indeed Harriet Tubman was an active member of the UNGRR, but her greatest contribution to the freedom of so many more slaves was as a Union Spy during the Civil War. What black person of any sex led white soldiers into battle during the Civil War? Harriet did that and more. What black person was called "The General" by Union officers because of her strategic contributions during the Civil War? (I am sure that Kate can add more)

My question is simply how can we allow such inaccuracy to pervade our history? Didn't historians challenge the use of description UNGRR? A colleague responded to a similar question surrounding the quilt issue. He said "....do not treat African-Americans as serious adults whose ideas are worthy of intellectual engagement - it's called condescension."

Perhaps a title change at the US Parks service is all that is needed?

K Wyer Lane