The National Underground Railroad Freedom Center (Freedom Center) brings focus to modern forms of slavery in order to challenge and inspire citizens to take courageous steps for freedom today. Since 2004, the Freedom Center has engaged over 1.5 million visitors from all 50 states and from more than 40 other nations around the world via on-site, off-site, and online exhibitions, programs, and interactive experiences. The Freedom Center has also hosted more than 400,000 school students through field trips and various other programs, presentations, and children focused activities.

As the movement against modern day slavery evolves, many have drawn a parallel between historic chattel slavery and contemporary slavery around the globe. Both are rooted in the concepts of forced labor for the profit of others and in communities of individuals determined to realize freedom. Yet lack of public awareness about human trafficking, and confusion about how it relates to historic slavery, can limit the wide-spread public involvement necessary to influence government policy and philanthropic grant-making. The Freedom Center has undertaken a wide range of groundbreaking programs to address this challenge and move the fight for freedom forward. Some of our programs and projects are described below.

Journey to Freedom

This documentary provides a unique and powerful call to action through the telling of the incredible stories of Solomon Northup and modern day Cambodian Prum Vannak – two men sold into slavery 150 years and half a world apart. Their stories, and the stories of those in both eras who work to end slavery, offer unique inspiration to individuals looking to be modern abolitionists. Directed by Justin Dillon of Slavery Footprint, this documentary was funded by the U.S. State Department Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons, and Google. It has been featured at the U.S. State Department and at 30 U.S. Embassies around the world. Viewers thus far have acclaimed the film for its powerful message and facilitation of breakthrough dialogue.

Convener of Anti-Slavery Leaders

Half the Sky Movement’s Google Hangout – Slavery & Sex Trafficking

The Freedom Center recently led this stimulating online conversation about contemporary slavery. Contributors included Pulitzer prize-winning journalist and co-author of Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide, Nicholas Kristof; Cambodian anti-trafficking advocate, Somaly Mam; and New York City-based Girls, Education & Mentoring Services founder, Rachel Lloyd. The panel explored the causes and consequences of domestic and international sex trafficking, as well as concrete steps individuals can take to address this problem.

Freedom Center Google Hangout – Abolitionism Then and Now

The Freedom Center organized this conversation about the links between historic and modern abolitionism, with an emphasis on how individuals can “join the network” of abolitionists today. Participants included Ambassador Luis CdeBaca of the State Department’s Trafficking in Persons Office, Justin Dillon of Slavery Footprint, Made in a Free World, International Justice Mission, and Historians Against Slavery.

Invisible

The Freedom Center showcases the world’s first museum-quality, permanent exhibition on the subjects of modern-day slavery and human trafficking. Since its opening in 2010, Invisible has hosted 200,000 visitors, many who pledged on the exhibition’s commitment wall to take action to combat ” unfreedoms. “

International Freedom Conductor Award

The Freedom Center annually honors leaders for their commitment to human rights. Past recipients include: His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama; former Presidents George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton; Dr. Dorothy Irene Height; Ethel Kennedy, on behalf of the Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice & Human Rights; South African Bishop Desmond Tutu; Rosa Parks; Nicholas Kristof; and the late Rev. Fred Shuttlesworth.

As one of the most respected African American actors in film, television, stage and voiceover history, Louis Gossett, Jr. is a triple threat talent with an Emmy ^® for Roots, an Oscar ^® for Officer and a Gentlemanand a Golden Globe ^® for
The Josephine Baker Story.

In addition to being an elite actor, Lou is an impassioned activist who gives back to the world through his Eracism Foundation, a 501c3 nonprofit public benefit corporation he founded in 2006. Lou has committed the last quarter of his life to realizing the foundation’s mission of planting the seeds of social tolerance and eliminating the stigma of racism.

The foundation’s programs seek to engage participants in promoting peace, personal responsibility and productive citizenship. Eracism provides mentoring and tutorial services to nurture the academic and professional development of people from diverse communities, and seeks to develop “Shamba Centers” in inner cities where children can play sports and learn in a positive and safe environment.

“If we were to drop all other agendas and cooperate on the salvation of the planet, a rapid resurrection would take place. The number one asset we have is our children. Together we can create miracles. Let us celebrate our unique differences realizing what Nelson Mandela once told me – there is a bigger picture. Let us find it together.”

– Louis Gossett, Jr., Founder, The Eracism Foundation

Free the Slaves liberates slaves, helps them rebuild their lives, and transforms the social, economic and political forces that allow slavery to persist. In partnership with local groups, we intervene to dismantle a region’s slavery system and help those formerly enslaved to sustain their lives in freedom. Further, we convince governments, international development organizations and businesses to implement key changes required for global eradication of slavery. We document and disseminate leading-edge practices to help the anti-slavery movement work more effectively, and we promote action by opinion leaders, decision makers and the public. Free the Slaves is helping to show the world that ending slavery is possible.

As the new millennium of 2000 dawned, our organization was founded to alert the world that slavery still exists, why it does, and where it is most prevalent. We are continuing to sound the alarm with the general public, policy makers and human rights activists, and we are being heard. Also, we have developed a global blueprint for change to inform governments, international institutions, faith communities, businesses and the public what they can do to end modern-day slavery. We are now scaling-up community-based strategies that liberate slaves and enable communities to resist enslavement, focusing on strategically-selected hotspots in India, Nepal, Congo, Ghana, Haiti and Brazil.

Slavery in Your Pocket: The Congo Connection

In the groundbreaking mini-documentary below, Free the Slaves uncovers slavery in the Congo’s mining industry. So-called “conflict minerals” from the Democratic Republic of the Congo find their way into products we use every day—such as laptop computers, cell phones, cars and batteries. In these isolated mining communities, young children suffer horrific abuse, including violent beatings and unyielding hunger.

The academic community takes fullest advantage of the rich store of documents and photographs in the Eakin Papers. The Sue L. Eakin collections were donated to Louisiana State University at Alexandria shortly after Dr. Eakin’s death in 2009. The collections include:

• over 270 linear feet of papers, photographs, and maps
• hundreds of cassettes containing interviews and oral histories
• more than 1,000 square feet of books
• furniture, farm implements, mill stones, and a post office

LSUA is dedicated to the preservation of the Eakin collections. The University Archivist works with limited assistance to provide access to Dr. Eakin’s research. Requests for information from or access to Eakin materials constitutes fully one-third of the research requests received by the Archives.

Money donated to the LSUA Foundation will provide for efforts to maintain the valuable Eakin collections, as well as the development of space dedicated to the exhibition of items from the Eakin collections. Although LSU at Alexandria is a state-supported institution, it requires external funding to assist in the development of this project. Through the continued generosity of the Eakin family and Downpour.com, a portion of proceeds from the sale of this audiobook shall be dedicated to maintaining this valuable collection.

In addition to ongoing academic research and presentations based on Dr. Eakin’s collections, future projects include republishing the
Northup Trail through

Central Louisiana, written by Dr. Eakin and initially published in 1984. A recent presentation by Dr. Jerry P. Sanson, history professor and Chair of the Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, entitled “More Than Twelve Years A Slave: The Enduring Legacy of Solomon Northup,” sparked renewed interest in retracing the footsteps of Solomon Northup along the trail in Rapides and Avoyelles Parishes, and drew a standing-room-only crowd. Also, the Archivist is in the process of digitizing images from the Eakin photographs for display on the website of the Archives. Louisiana State University at Alexandria hopes to employ the Epps House, rebuilt on the campus due to the preservation efforts of Dr. Eakin, as exhibit space for the many implements and equipment in the collection.

Scholars seeking information in the following areas will find these archives invaluable:

• Slavery
• Civil Rights
• History of African-American churches
• History of African-American education
• Central Louisiana history
• Plantations and plantation systems around the world

Along with building the University Archives and Central Louisiana Collections, the Archivist supervises students participating in the University’s Service Learning program. Students have the opportunity to learn basic archival skills and practices under the direction of a professional Certified Archivist. Louisiana State University at Alexandria is proud to offer this program.

The Louisiana Center for the Book in the State Library of Louisiana annually presents the Louisiana Book Festival, a celebration of readers, writers, literacy, books, and the literary heritage of the state. The festival has helped to preserve the history of Louisiana by bringing attention to important works such as
Twelve Years a Slave and providing visibility to the books of historians such as Dr. Sue Eakin.

This nationally recognized award-winning event, free and open to all, offers unique opportunities for book lovers of all ages to interact with exceptional writers, poets and storytellers. At more than 100 book and literacy events throughout the day, participants enjoy an inspiring variety of book-related activities, exhibitions and demonstrations featuring more than 150 authors, poets, and panelists. Special emphasis is placed on Louisiana writers, as well as authors and books with Louisiana connections, but bestselling authors from throughout the South and across the country are also featured.

The festival events also celebrate the rich music, food, and artistic culture of the state, and include literary-related art exhibitions and documentary film screenings. Pre-festival writing workshops, known as WordShops, are held the day before the festival, presented by award-winning faculty on a variety of topics of particular interest to emerging writers. Pre-festival events also include the literacy outreach program presented to school children, highlighting the importance of literacy as part of a healthy lifestyle.

The festival is held in Baton Rouge in the State Capitol, State Library, State Museum, Capitol Park Welcome Center, and on the grounds of Capitol Park. The Louisiana Book Festival is primarily funded through the Louisiana Library Foundation, a nonprofit 501c3 organization. The donation received as a result of using our promotional code when purchasing the audiobook will be dedicated to the continued support of the festival.