Oberlin, Ohio
Oberlin may seem like a quaint college-town, being 35 miles from Cleveland, Ohio and boasting a population of only 8,600, but the town's earliest years were marked by radical beliefs. In 1833 both the town and college were founded by two ministers who valued education and frowned on alcohol, tobacco, and extravagance. Only two years later, the Oberlin Anti-Slavery Society was formed and by a vote of 5-4 the college began to accept all students: men and women, black and white.
The economic and educational opportunities drew free and fugitive blacks to the community. An early graduate, John Mercer Langston, was one of the first African Americans elected to public office, and Mary Jane Patterson was the first African American woman to earn a four-year college degree. With a majority of the town supporting equal opportunity, Oberlin became a natural stop on the Underground Railroad.
Oberlin's participation dates back to at least 1837, when a former student arrived in town with four fugitive slaves. The visitors took supper in the college dining hall and were surrounded by students eager to converse with them. When they left, an armed escort followed to ensure their safety. Other local legends include residents and students confusing slave catchers with disguises and decoy wagons. As many as 3,000 men and women seeking freedom were estimated to have passed through, or stayed, in Oberlin.
One of the town's most famous events was the Oberlin-Wellington Rescue. In 1858 a young man named John Price was kidnapped by slave catchers outside of town. A mob of students, professors, and residents raced eight miles south to Wellington to help him escape from his captors. While successful, months later several of the "Rescuers" were charged with breaking the law. The nation eagerly read news of the trial to hear if those "confounded Oberlin people" would be jailed and fined for breaking the Fugitive Slave Law. The Rescuers claimed they were following a Higher Law and one wrote, "When I am out again, I will rescue the first slave I get a chance to rescue." In the end, two men were charged while the rest spent time in jail for refusing to post bail.
A few months later, three young African American Oberlin men joined John Brown in his historic raid on Harpers Ferry. Lewis Sheridan Leary died during the failed attempt to begin a slave revolt, and John Copeland and Shields Green were tried and hanged following Brown. A town monument to them is thought to be the first in the nation in honor of African Americans.
Today, visitors can hear these stories and see local monuments on the Freedom's Friends History Walk, offered by the Oberlin Heritage Center. While most pre-Civil War buildings have disappeared from the landscape, visitors can still stroll the historic downtown, learning about the radical early years and the struggles for equality that continue to this day. For more information about visiting Oberlin, check out Oberlin Heritage Center's website.
Elizabeth Schultz is Museum Education and Tour Coordinator for the Oberlin Heritage Center, a Local Partner of the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
