National Underground Railroad Freedom Center

National Underground Railroad Freedom Center Pursuing inclusive freedom by promoting social justice for all, building on principles of the Underground Railroad.

Adults: $15.00
Seniors (60+): $13.00
Children (ages 6-12): $10.50
Children 3 & under: Free (with paid adult)

Our Juneteenth Jubilee just got even better! We are happy to announce that, thanks to our amazing friends at Cincinnati ...
06/10/2026

Our Juneteenth Jubilee just got even better! We are happy to announce that, thanks to our amazing friends at Cincinnati Arts Association and Broadway in Cincinnati, cast members of Disney's "The Lion King" will be stopping by for an exclusive experience the afternoon of June 19!

In a panel discussion, the actors behind Simba, Nala, Sarabi (Scar's wife) and the resident director and company manager of The Lion King will speak with Local12 anchor Kyle Inskeep about Black excellence in the arts and pay tribute to the musical that changed the world.

Panelists and special guests include:
• Gilbert Domally (Simba)
• Thembelihle Cele (Nala)
• Jennifer Theriot (Sarabi)
• Monique Midgette (Resident Director)
• Jose Solivan (Company Manager)
• Moderated by: Kyle Inskeep (Local12 anchor)

You won't want to miss this! Learn more about the panel and plan your entire day with us: https://freedomcenter.org/voice/press_release/2026-juneteenth-guide/

Cincinnati Arts Association The Lion King - Musical LOCAL 12, WKRC-TV Kyle Inskeep

“If you love Jazz, you pass it down.” - American jazz-fusion bassist Stanley ClarkeAfter a week of intensive instruction...
06/09/2026

“If you love Jazz, you pass it down.” - American jazz-fusion bassist Stanley Clarke

After a week of intensive instruction and learning, participants in the Frank B. Foster Summer Jazz Camp got the chance to share the stage with legendary musicians Bruce Williams and the Myles Ellington Twitty and his quintet this past Saturday!

The camp’s final performance in our Harriet Tubman Theater included timeless standards and introspective originals:

Student setlist:
• “On Green Dolphin Street”
• “Simone” (written by the camp’s namesake, Cincinnati saxophonist Frank Foster)
• “Siam”
• “Jumpin’ Leo”
• “For The People”

Bruce Williams with the Myles Ellington Twitty Quintet:
• “All By Myself”
• “Private Thoughts”
• “Slippin’”
• “I Can’t Get Started”
• “For Hank And Stitt”

Thanks to everyone who came out to support these dedicated, budding musicians!

🎨 Can you name this artist? If you said Jacob Lawrence, you’re right! Jacob Lawrence (1917-2000) was an American painter...
06/05/2026

🎨 Can you name this artist?

If you said Jacob Lawrence, you’re right!

Jacob Lawrence (1917-2000) was an American painter known for his portrayal of the everyday experiences of African Americans. He gained national recognition in his early 20s for “The Migration Series,” 60 panels that depict the Great Migration of Black Americans from the South to Northern U.S. cities.

Explore the themes, lessons and legacy of “The Migration Series” with us on Friday, June 12, with OLLI at University of Cincinnati. This lecture and discussion are free with museum admission.

While we don’t have any panels from “The Migration Series” in our museum, we do have Lawrence’s “Forward Together” (pictured) in the John Parker Library, which features many hallmarks of Lawrence’s artistry.

Learn more and plan your visit at https://freedomcenter.org/voice/event/olli-260612/

06/03/2026

That's a wrap on our May .

Thanks to everyone who came out to learn, reflect, create and celebrate around our theme of Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage month.

See you again soon!

🎥 features:
Creative Asian Society
SOS ART

06/02/2026

Our Juneteenth Jubilee wouldn’t be the same without our incredible Community Market vendors! Take a moment to get to know them and be sure to stop by their booths on June 19 between 11 a.m.-5 p.m.

• African Fabrics and Things
• Bella Fiamma
• Chanda's Mary Kay
• Cincinnati Cancer Advisors
• Cincinnati Observatory
• Inspirational Bling Tees
• KayBeez Kraftz
• Kreative Solutions
• Style and Grace Consignment
• Stylish LeNese Boutique
• Succulent Eyez Eyewear
• The VAB Jewelry Boutique
• Wisdom Flows

Fifth Third Bank The Banks Juneteenth Jubilee

The legacy of the Underground Railroad lives on in Ripley, Ohio!We were honored to witness the Appalachian Freedom Herit...
06/01/2026

The legacy of the Underground Railroad lives on in Ripley, Ohio!

We were honored to witness the Appalachian Freedom Heritage Tourism Initiative dedicate two new historical markers on Saturday, May 30.

1️⃣: The John Rankin House. Reverend John Rankin, his wife Jean Lowry Rankin, and 13 children assisted an estimated 2,000+ freedom seekers in the mid-1800s.

2️⃣ : The John P. Parker House, just a mile away from the “house on the hill." Mr. Parker, enslaved in his youth, purchased his freedom and became an active conductor. He took on great personal risk in his activity, crossing the Ohio River into Kentucky countless times to guide freedom seekers into Ohio.

Thanks to the amazing partners and community members who invited us out to mark this special occasion and continue to educate about freedom’s ongoing journey.

Program speakers included Drew Feight, PhD, of Shawnee State University, Ripley Presbyterian Church, Marty Conley of Lawrence Economic Development Corp., as well as representatives from Ripley Heritage, Inc, The John. P Parker House board, and Beebe Chapel CME of Ripley, Ohio.

📸: Shawnee Turner, VP Education & Interpretation

We are honored to bring together three inspiring artists for a powerful conversation about art as a catalyst for justice...
05/29/2026

We are honored to bring together three inspiring artists for a powerful conversation about art as a catalyst for justice and social change. You’ve likely seen their work around Cincinnati, so let’s get to know them!

Saad Ghosn is native of Lebanon who has called Cincinnati home for 40+ years. A retired medical professional, educator and Professor Emeritus of Medicine at University of Cincinnati, he has dedicated his life to promoting art as a vehicle for peace, justice and positive social change through SOS ART, which he founded.

Radha Lakshmi is a mixed media artist whose work is rooted in the sacred traditions of South India, including kolam and mandala-making. She integrates her lived experience as an immigrant woman, an elder, a cancer survivor and a survivor of abuse to create spaces for reflection, connection and empowerment, especially for communities affected by displacement, illness, violence or invisibility.

Tom Tsuchiya is a renowned sculptor whose work includes plaques for the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in New York and the iconic bronze sculptures of Cincinnati Reds players at Great American Ballpark. His passion for the environment led him to create a new kind of art, the recycling of receptacle sculpture. He is a Cincinnati native whose parents are from Japan. In 2023, he honored his heritage with his interpretation of the three wise monkeys, displayed at Music Hall during the performances Madame Butterfly.

Moderated by our VP of Education and Interpretation Shawnee Turner, these panelists will explore the responsibilities artists hold in moments of social urgency and how creative practice can challenge injustice and build connection.

This will be a conversation you won’t want to miss!

Reserve your free admission for this Sunday, May 31, at freedomcenter.org/visit.

On this day in 1965, people young and old came together in Brandon, Mississippi for the “Little Selma March.” In solidar...
05/29/2026

On this day in 1965, people young and old came together in Brandon, Mississippi for the “Little Selma March.”

In solidarity with the marches that took place a couple months prior and nearly 200 miles away in Selma, Alabama, 300 demonstrators traveled a few miles to the Rankin County Courthouse to present a petition protesting voter discrimination.

Their courage, cooperation and perseverance reminds us that the fight for freedom is advanced by everyday people willing to take action, together.

📸: Alabama Department of Archives and History. Donated by Alabama Media Group. Photo by George Metz, Birmingham News.

05/25/2026

the first celebration happened on May 1, 1865? Decoration Day, as it was then called, took place in Charleston, SC to honor Union soldiers.

Thousands of Charlestonians, most of them newly freed, organized a massive parade, picnics, speeches and other festivities, in a tradition that is continued to this day. 
 
Historian David Blight writes, “The war was over, and Decoration Day had been founded by African Americans in a ritual of remembrance and consecration. The war, they had boldly announced, had been all about the triumph of their emancipation over a slaveholders' republic, and not about state rights, defense of home, nor merely soldiers' valor and sacrifice... 
 
Over time several American towns, north and south, claimed to be the birthplace of Memorial Day. But all of them commemorate cemetery decoration events from 1866. Pride of place as the first large scale ritual of Decoration Day, therefore, goes to African Americans in Charleston. By their labor, their words, their songs, and their solemn parade of flowers and marching feet on their former owners' race course, they created for themselves, and for us, the Independence Day of the Second American Revolution.” 

Read the full story from David Blight, on his website:  davidwblight.com

Photo credits: Library of Congress

Address

50 East Freedom Way
Cincinnati, OH
45202

Opening Hours

Wednesday 10am - 5pm
Thursday 10am - 5pm
Friday 10am - 5pm
Saturday 10am - 5pm
Sunday 10am - 5pm

Telephone

+15133337500

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when National Underground Railroad Freedom Center posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Organization

Send a message to National Underground Railroad Freedom Center:

Shortcuts

Share