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Pekin High students publish digital ‘living museum’ documenting Underground Railroad in Tazewell County
Summary
Pekin High School students unveiled a digital project mapping Underground Railroad routes through Pekin and Tazewell County. Organizers said the site will be hosted on the school website and linked by the Tazewell County Genealogical Society as Illinois creates a Freedom Trails Commission.
At a press conference at Pekin High School, a presenter for the event said students there built a public, web-based “living museum” that documents local Underground Railroad routes and the people who aided those seeking freedom. The presenter noted the project comes as the Illinois legislature has approved a measure creating an Illinois Freedom Trails Commission to promote Underground Railroad history statewide.
The Pekin High School teacher leading the class project described it as a multi-year, cross-curricular effort that combined research, historic maps, oral histories and student artwork. The teacher said students used local research sources and assembled materials in a Prezi-style site that simulates a museum visit. "Tazewell County alone saw the estimate 800 slaves come through on their way to freedom," the teacher said, citing the students' mapping of main routes through the county.
Student contributors described what they produced and what they learned. Isabella, a Pekin High School student, said, "I have learned that the Underground Railroad is more than just a way to escape slavery. It's a powerful example of courage, teamwork, and the fight for freedom." Angelina Bashar, another student, said her contribution was a poem imagining a conductor's perspective and highlighted the risks posed by bounty hunters. Elaine Lewis, also a student, said she appreciated the work to bring awareness to local history.
Organizers said the presentation will be published on the Pekin High School website and that the Tazewell County Genealogical Society will add the link to its site so the public can access the materials. The presenter encouraged media outlets to share the site so residents can review the students' sources, artwork and timelines.
Teachers and local volunteers credited community researchers for providing archival material and said the project is intended as an educational resource for the region. The presenter framed the students' work as aligning with an Illinois effort to promote local Freedom Trail histories and said Pekin’s students are already engaged in the work the new commission will encourage.
The press conference ended with thanks to the students and organizers and a call for the public to explore the online project when it goes live.
