The Film: Interview Transcripts: Leroy Hopkins

LeRoy T. Hopkins, Ph.D., Underground Railroad historian, Millersville University, on
separating fact from fiction
It's interesting that today so many people believe that virtually every house built before 1860 was part of the Underground Railroad.  It's very important that we separate fact from fiction and uncover the true story.  After all it is a beautiful story of people coming together to help the downtrodden.  The evidence is there if we just look for it.

When the National Park Service was looking for evidence of the Underground Railroad in Lancaster County they asked a local informant if she knew of any such safe houses. She said, verbatim, “that house over there was supposed to have been on the U.G.R.R. but some years back when they dug up the cellar, they didn't find any tracks.”  I swear, a true story.

We have many houses that date from the late 18^th century, early 19^th century and everyone says they have this crawl space or this cubby hole and it was part of the Underground Railroad.  There is no documentation.  It’s because it’s such a good story.  Everyone wants to be part of helping the underdog.  It’s a quintessential American story.

.Pennsylvania’s gradual
abolition act

role of the African Methodist Episcopal Church

doing what’s right