Dear K,
This is a wonderful and eloquent post and it so beautifully lays out why it is dangerous to lump all freedom seekers under the title UGRR.

I did not know that Fort Mose had been so classified - that is as absurd as classifying the Seminole Negro Indian Scout Cemetery as a site that furthers knowledge of the Underground railroad.

I think this is a wonderful conversation and, in light of all these fascinating posts by all of you who have much more experience with the NPS, and with UGRR history than I have, I am feeling as if I have stepped into a discussion that I may not have enough experience to continue.

But, being a loudmouth, I will nonetheless say what I see happening.

It seems to me that some folks feel that blurry history is better than no history, and that the NTF's current policies are imperfect, but the only way to include all the areas of research on escape from slavery - that so desperately need investigation. I think we should't reach so low. I think that Henry is right, that at this moment the NTF is in deep financial trouble and needs your support badly in order to fundraise. It needs the support of grassroots historians and researchers to validate it, and I think that you all should use that leverage to get them to create a program that fully supports the history that you all work so hard to uncover. By that, I mean a program that differentiates between the Underground Railroad, as it existed mostly in the mid Atlantic states and Ohio, and all the other important and valuable routes to freedom, and forms of resistance to slavery. A program that promotes accurate and detailed history, rather than blurry history.

I know thats a lot to reach for, but what do you have to lose? If you were to pool your rather remarkable resources and tell the NTF that you will support them and help them get funding, but only if they change their definition of the Underground Railroad to a more specific one, and put in place another description under which all other routes to freedom could be explored.

If they refuse, you don't have to support them. If they agree, then, as Henry says, you will not be re-inventing the wheel, but will have put rubber tires on the old creaky wooden one.

Take care,

Kato