Governor Gretchen Whitmer is a lifelong Michigander. She is a lawyer, an educator, former prosecutor, State Representative and Senator. She was the first woman to lead a Senate caucus. But the most important title she boasts is MOM. Inspired by her family, she’s devoted her life to building a stronger Michigan for everyone.
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September 01, 2024
WHEREAS, Michigan played a key role in the Underground Railroad, serving as one of the main gateways to freedom for those seeking liberty; and,
WHEREAS, free African Americans, Native Americans, and European Americans in Michigan supported the abolition of slavery and assisted freedom seekers traveling through and settling in the state, often at great personal risk; and,
WHEREAS, communities across Michigan commemorate their role in the Underground Railroad through museums, historic sites, archival collections, and programs; and,
WHEREAS, the Michigan Freedom Trail Commission was created to support the inspirational efforts of people from around the world who have dedicated themselves to documenting and sharing the history of the Underground Railroad through the National Park Service’s National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom and the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Sites of Memory designations; and,
WHEREAS, the National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom acknowledges the significance of the Underground Railroad and all those involved for their contribution to the eradication of slavery in the United States and for serving as a foundation for the civil rights movement that followed;
NOW, THEREFORE, I, Gretchen Whitmer, governor of Michigan, do hereby proclaim September 2024 as Underground Railroad Month in Michigan.