To Stand Up

To Stand Up. . , Those who stood up to help freedom seekers did what they felt was right. Their actions challenged a system that had been operating legally for more than 200 years - first in the British Colonies and then later written in the U.S. Constitution, they chose to break the law, but many more did not., Many Americans questioned if slavery was right. For some, it was an issue that seemed to go against the founding principles of the nation. For others, it seemed wrong according to their religious beliefs. Those who challenged the system chose to follow a "higher law" and disobeyed the laws of the land. Some stood up more than others. Someone might contribute to an anti-slavery society, attend a protest, or write letters to newspapers and journals. A few supported escaping freedom seekers by giving them food, shelter, directions, or transport to safety., East Cleveland Township, including what we now call University Circle, was a close-knit community of scattered farms whose owners were opposed to slavery. With the church as a clear leader, some residents became active participants in the Underground Railroad. However, ending slavery was one matter, and a belief in full equality between black and white people another. One family, the Cozads, shared their dinner table with freedom seekers and by doing so began to bridge this divide. Then and now, fighting injustice requires us to share a table with our neighbors and those in need.