2A - Wednesday, December 3, 2008 Ann Arbor's abolitionists Today, the intersection of Huron and Division Streets offers hectic traffic, local news, delivery pizza and gyros. But in 1836, the corner lot now occupied by The Ann Arbor News was a First Presbyterian Church, which served as headquarters to the Michigan State Anti-Slavery Society. The society was one of Ann Arbor's many contributions to the abolitionist movement 25 years before the Civil War. Seventy-five anti-slavery activ- ists from around the state gath- ered at the inaugural meeting that November to adopt 14 anti-slavery resolutions. One of the members present was Ann Arbor resident Guy Beckley. Beckley, a local reverend, played a large role in Ann Arbor's anti-slavery activism, serving on the Executive Committee of the Anti-Slavery Society in 1840 and served as the vice president in 1845. In 1841, he became the publish- er and co-editor of The Signal of Liberty, the nationally distributed and recognized abolitionist news- paper. The paper succeeded The Free- man, the abolitionist newspa- per that was printed in Jackson, Mich. Out of the Presbyterian Church, Beckley and co-editor Theodore Foster published stories about the horrors of slavery and the lives of fugitive slaves who were traveling through Michiganto Canada. Beckley, who lived on Pon- tiac Trail with his wife Phyla and their eight children, also opened his house to slaves traveling from the South on the Underground Railroad. If caught, Beckley faced up to six months in jail and a $1,000 fine under the federal Fugitive Slave Act. Sixteen-year-old Caroline Quarlls, the first slave to travel Wisconsin's Underground Rail- road, was said to have stopped at Beckley's home on her way to Canada. In a book of Wiscon- sin History, her travel partner Lyman Goodnow wrote that in Ann Arbor, "we were entertained by the editor of the Abolitionist paper published in that place." Beckley helped traveling slaves, cooperating with other stops in Southeastern Michigan until he died in 1847. His home, the Rev. Guy Beckley House at 1425 Pontiac Trail, is still stand- ing today. SARA LYNNE THELEN The First Presbyterian Church, formerly on the corner of Huron and Division Streets, was part ofthe Underground Railroad in the 1840s. The Ann Arbor News now occupies the property. 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The District of Columbia CityCouncil is considering allowing city bars to serve alcohol until 5 a.m. and stay open 24/7 the week of Pres- ident-elect Barack Obama's inauguration in January. According to Google Analytics report, 252 visitors to michigandai- ly.com this semester arrived there by searching "donkey punch sex." FOR MORE, SEETHE STATEMENT Conductor Michael Tilson Thomas and composer Tan Dun have partnered with YouTube to audition Car- negie Hall hopefuls, the video site announced Monday. The winners will be flown to New York for a special workshop and performance this April. 0 0 Take the first step in the right direction with a Career Starter* Loan from USAA. Pay off student loans. Eliminate credit card debt. Invest in your future. 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