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New York City Slavery and Underground Railroad Tour
New York, United States
From $39.00
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Up to 24 hours in advance.
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- 2 hours 30 minutes (approx.)
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
Overview
Uncover a unique part of New York history not always brushed upon during this New York City Slavery and Underground Railroad tour. Follow the NYC Freedom Trail, and learn how a group of brave men and women forged the network that became the Underground Railroad. View the former city stations that were included on the Underground Railroad, and discover how New Yorkers risked their lives to help people escape slavery.
- Trace the Underground Railroad, and learn learn about its role in freeing slaves
- See the NYC African-American Freedom Trail
- A guide tells you stories about important abolitionist figures of the time
- An afternoon start time allows you to fit this tour in before dinner
What's Included
- Local guide
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
Meeting And Pickup
Meeting point
- 1 Bowling Green1 Bowling Green, New York, NY 10004, USA
In front of the National Museum of the American Indian.
End point
- African Burial Ground National Monument290 Broadway, New York, NY 10007, USA
What To Expect
Begin this walking tour at the Museum of the American Indian in Manhattan. Then get ready to journey back in time to trace the history of slavery and the Underground Railroad in New York City.
The Underground Railroad was a network of secret routes and safe houses used by 19th-century African-American slaves to escape to freedom with the help of abolitionists and allies who supported their cause. This path from slavery to freedom ran right through New York City, where thousands of people, including noted social reformer and abolitionist Frederick Douglass, escaped to the most populated city in the nation.
Visit the site of Fort Amsterdam, the first settlement in colonial Manhattan, and learn about the important role slaves played in transforming American society. Walk down Wall Street and see where slaves hid while escaping to free states with the help of abolitionists.
Visit the African Burial Ground National Monument, a sacred space in Manhattan and memorial dedicated to enslaved Africans in colonial America. It has been called the most important archaeological find of the 20th century and is an important reminder of a period in New York City history that is oftentimes forgotten.
Finally, walk to the former site of the first African-American church in New York, which was also one of the stops on the Underground Railroad.
The Underground Railroad was a network of secret routes and safe houses used by 19th-century African-American slaves to escape to freedom with the help of abolitionists and allies who supported their cause. This path from slavery to freedom ran right through New York City, where thousands of people, including noted social reformer and abolitionist Frederick Douglass, escaped to the most populated city in the nation.
Visit the site of Fort Amsterdam, the first settlement in colonial Manhattan, and learn about the important role slaves played in transforming American society. Walk down Wall Street and see where slaves hid while escaping to free states with the help of abolitionists.
Visit the African Burial Ground National Monument, a sacred space in Manhattan and memorial dedicated to enslaved Africans in colonial America. It has been called the most important archaeological find of the 20th century and is an important reminder of a period in New York City history that is oftentimes forgotten.
Finally, walk to the former site of the first African-American church in New York, which was also one of the stops on the Underground Railroad.
National Museum of the American Indian
10 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included
Battery Park
10 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included
Fraunces Tavern Museum
15 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included
Wall Street
30 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included
Foley Square
15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
African Burial Ground National Monument
10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Wheelchair accessible
- Stroller accessible
- Near public transportation
- Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 30 travelers
Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
- For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
- If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
- Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.
- Cut-off times are based on the experience’s local time.
- This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund.
- This experience requires a minimum number of travelers. If it’s canceled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund.
about cancellations.
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Reviews
5.0
328 reviews
Reviews by Viator travelers.
Showing 1-10 of 328 reviews
A must-do tour - informative, thought-provoking and emotional.
Juliette_B, May 2023
This was incredible - so informative, thought-provoking and emotional. Our guide Mia was passionate, engaged, and well-informed - I felt they could have taken the tour in multiple directions and happily discussed any related subject for hours. I loved the personal takes and thoughts that they peppered the tour with, borne from the history they were telling us. This This tour could have been twice as long and I wouldn't have been bored (just hungry and tired, lol). It's an absolute must-do.
Awesome and sad
Susan_N, Apr 2023
Great guide: knowledgeable and open!
Learned content know known to me before.
Mixed past and present!
The most powerfull experience in New York to learn about the history of the city
Androula_M, Mar 2023
Everything was excellent - from the very begining to the end of the tour Ludi told the history with passion and nuance and gave a passionnate perspectives to understand this history. She took all precautions and told that there is no place for shame or blaming but explaining. Definitively a great and profound experience for me.
A fascinating tour with a...
Noam_O, Dec 2022
A fascinating tour with a very knowledgeable and kind guide. We had a wonderful time.
Would definitely recommend to friends and family
We liked the ending with...
Erich_S, Oct 2022
We liked the ending with the visit to the cemetary. Wishing that more knowledge of the complicity of Wall Street and the North was shared rather than glanced over...
Raising consciousness.
Odette_N, Oct 2022
Tour guide was expressive, knowledgeable, kind, responsive and kept track of all of us. Heard about the tour reading Clint Smith's book How the Word is Passed. Should have known about it before. Have lived here since 1965.Pick=up easy.
1 traveler found this review helpful
A great way to learn more about a difficult topic.
Deborah_J, Sep 2022
Shawn, the tour guide was amazing! He knew so much. He showed passion for the topic. I would seek him out again.
1 traveler found this review helpful
A microphone should be a...
Kelly_C, Aug 2022
A microphone should be a must. We could barely hear the young lady. My family and I were not comfortable huddling up so closely next to strangers in order to hear, especially during this COVID, Monkey Pox season. Pretty sure the tour was great. The young lady seemed quite knowledgeable, however, my family and I dropped out about 15 minutes in due to the fact that huddling in the heat in order to hear became unbearable. I strongly suggest getting a microphone.
Response from Host, Sep 2022
Thank you for your comments on our guide and the Slavery and Underground Railroad Tour. We shall make sure that this guide has a microphone for amplification. I do hope that you informed your guide that you could not hear her speech. By leaving after 15 minutes you did miss a wonderful tour. Again, thank you for your suggestion.
Amazing & empowering
Kathryn_M, Jul 2022
Ludie took us through the history of NYC in an engaging and powerful way. She brought the story alive
Early NY History and the Slave Trade
Elaine_L, Jul 2022
The tour was great. Our guide had a wealth of background to make the stops come alive. I especially enjoyed the Negro burial grounds, and the symbolism the artist imparted to the site. Lots of background information on NY was discussed.
...
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Product code: 5637UGRR
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New York City Slavery and Underground Railroad Tour
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2 hours 30 minutes
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