Jews.
Underground
Railroad

4r.

Detroit J
ews
broke the law
to help slaves
escape

SHARON LUCKERMAN
Staff Writer

Iff

Fisher Foundation of the
Jewish Federation of
Metropolitan Detroit, is to
a Detroit Underground
Railroad Station in the
Second Baptist Church in
Greektown, the oldest black
Baptist church in the
Midwest.

ost of us know the Underground
Railroad helped American slaves escape
to freedom in Canada. But few realize
how early Jewish Detroiters played a
part in this dangerous venture.
Though Northern blacks lived free in the North and
zAk 4
Midwest, it still was against the law to aid fugitive
Children
from
the Reconstructionist Congregation o Detroit visit the Underground
slaves who came here from the South.
Railroad
monument
in downtown Detroit.
Station
Museum
Yet Jewish Detroiters did so, says Stacie Guzzo, assis-
From
1836-1865,
this
tant archivist at Temple Beth El.
church, still active today,
Several Jews participated on the Underground
tor" was the person accompanying the slaves to free-
received some 5,000 slaves before taking them to the
Railroad, such as Emil Heineman, a merchant married
dom — one of the most famous was Harriet Tubman.
Detroit River to get to Canada, says Bobbi Davis, a
to Fanny Butzel, who provided clothing to disguise the
The code word for Detroit was "midnight."
guide at the church's museum and bookstore. While
slaves as free men and women to help them travel
Detroit Jewish history tours by the Jewish Historical
the church burned down several times, its basement
through Detroit undetected.
Society and the Reconstructionist Congregation of
was reconstructed to show the room slaves
Mark Sloman, a fur dealer, who was the
Detroit start their children's tour in downtown
waited in before being transported in the
head of the civilian police force, used his
Detroit's Hart Plaza. Here the new monument built in
cover of darkness. It also shows the entrance-
position to give cover to slaves as he
2001, called the Gateway to Freedom, honors Detroit's
way to the alley where horse and buggies car-
accompanied them down to the river so
role in the Underground Railroad.
ried the slaves, hidden under blankets and
they could cross safely to Canada.
"The powerful monument, a slave family of six look-
manure, to the church.
And Rabbi Leibman Adler, the second
ing to escape to Canada, is an international sculpture
"You can almost feel the fright of people
rabbi of Temple Beth El, openly preached
[spanning two countries]," says Judith Cantor of
coming down the stairs to the church base-
against slavery.
Bloomfield
Hills, author of Jews in Michigan. Across
ment to the room where the slaves were hid-
"He was a real firebrand!" says Carol
the river in Windsor is "Tower of Freedom," the other
den," says Staller. "Cold and tired and hun-
Weisfeld of Detroit, who leads children's
part of the monument that marks the safe passage of
gry, the people hiding here were in danger
tours of Jewish Detroit for the
thousands of slaves to Canada from Detroit, she says.
Reconstructionist Congregation of Detroit. Rabbi Leib man Adler of losing their lives."
Heineman's name appears on the monument's
She describes the room where many a
She focuses on Jewish values and the
plaque honoring Detroiters who helped the slaves,
family stayed as about eight square feet, bare
Jewish sense of community and how they
Guzzo says. She is working on getting Rabbi Leibman
except for hard benches — like a giant closet, she says.
shaped the history of Detroit — then and now
Adler's
name added to it.
Now maps and charts line the walls of the room and
"Jews remembered that we were slaves in Egypt. It's
The Jewish Historical Society is conducting. a new
explain the history and people involved in the
our tradition to help people in need," says Southfield's
series of tours of the history of Jewish Detroit. For
Underground Railroad.
Adele Staller, also a Detroit Jewish History tour guide.
information, call Adele Staller at (248) 557-8315. For
Davis says that Underground Railroad stations were
"I explain to children how the fugitive slaves were
tours of Underground Railroad Museum, call (313)
located from Detroit to what is now Farmington Hills,
inspired by Hebrew slaves fleeing from Egypt."
961-0325.
where the Quakers lived. A "station," she says, was the
One of the places Staller will take her Detroit tour
code word. for a secret place that hid slaves; a "conduc-
for schoolchildren, funded in part by the Max M.

❑

2/27
2004

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