Florida Underground Railroad
Item
Collections Identifier
Ms_00262
Date Started
June 18, 2026
Collection Title
Florida Underground Railroad
Date Span
1996-2004
Inclusive Subjects
Overtown Collection,South Florida Black Sites & Landmarks,Religion Collection,Civil Rights Collection,and Family Life Collection.
Scope and Content
The Florida Underground Railroad Collection consists of correspondence, research materials, program records, presentations, pamphlets, and historical documentation related to the study and preservation of Florida's Underground Railroad history from 1996 to 2004. The collection primarily documents the activities of the Florida Underground Railroad Project (FURP), including research initiatives, community outreach efforts, educational programming, and the identification of sites associated with African American history and freedom-seeking networks throughout Florida.
Materials include notes and correspondence concerning Florida's role in the Underground Railroad, research on slave insurance records, excavation projects involving former slave homes and communities, and documentation of the development and expansion of the Florida Underground Railroad Project. The collection also contains records related to community education programs, historical presentations, the William English Plantation Slave Quarters, and JGB Ventures, an organization involved in preserving and promoting African American history. Additional materials explore the history of freedom in the Florida Territory, African American cultural and spiritual connections to the natural environment, and Black entertainment districts and communities.
Collectively, the records document ongoing efforts to research, preserve, and interpret Florida's unique Underground Railroad history while highlighting the experiences, resilience, and contributions of African Americans in the state's development. The collection serves as a valuable resource for researchers studying African American history, public history, historical preservation, freedom movements, and community-based heritage initiatives in Florida.
Materials include notes and correspondence concerning Florida's role in the Underground Railroad, research on slave insurance records, excavation projects involving former slave homes and communities, and documentation of the development and expansion of the Florida Underground Railroad Project. The collection also contains records related to community education programs, historical presentations, the William English Plantation Slave Quarters, and JGB Ventures, an organization involved in preserving and promoting African American history. Additional materials explore the history of freedom in the Florida Territory, African American cultural and spiritual connections to the natural environment, and Black entertainment districts and communities.
Collectively, the records document ongoing efforts to research, preserve, and interpret Florida's unique Underground Railroad history while highlighting the experiences, resilience, and contributions of African Americans in the state's development. The collection serves as a valuable resource for researchers studying African American history, public history, historical preservation, freedom movements, and community-based heritage initiatives in Florida.
Online Publisher
Brianna Senter
Publication Date
June 17, 2026