To start off Black History Month, Marshall’s Housing and Residence Life, in conjunction with the Office of Intercultural Affairs, will be hosting a day trip to the Underground Railroad Museum in Cincinnati, Ohio, on Saturday, Feb 3.

Students must provide a $20 deposit, which will be refunded upon departure, to cover the cost of the bus and dinner. Those who miss the bus will not get their money back. 

Students are asked to meet at the Memorial Student Center at 7:30 a.m. to board the bus. 

Shaunte Polk, the director of intercultural and international students, said students should go on the trip to celebrate and honor Black history.

“This was something that took place, and, even though it seems like a long time ago, it’s still part of our history and I think that’s important to know,” Polk said. 

Polk said the museum is located in the part of Cincinnati that was instrumental in the Underground Railroad.  

LeKesha Taylor, the associate director of the Department of Housing and Residence Life, said the trip is one of the signature events that the housing department is trying to cultivate for students living on campus.   

These signature events will allow students in the residence halls to experience things on campus and off campus, Taylor said.

Taylor said some of these events are cultural-based and some are just fun, social activities.

She believes visiting the museum would be a good experience for college students to have. 

She said school systems do not spend much time covering the Underground Railroad and visiting the museum would allow students to gain a better understanding of that component of Black history.   

“Sometimes in our school systems, they don’t spend much time talking about that particular history,” Taylor said. 

She said that students can look forward to “just getting a better and deeper understanding of Black history, which is American history.” 

Taylor said this trip is available to a broad amount of students, and she expects a good trip.

“We can provide this opportunity to a broad amount of students, which should make for a good trip there,” Taylor said.

Housing staff has also planned special activities for the bus ride, Taylor said. 

Polk said the museum is worth the trip, and students will be able to see a variety of artifacts from the Underground Railroad. 

“It is a lovely museum, students will get the ability to see artifacts and learn about people who were important to the Underground Railroad, what it stood for, and what happened during that time,” Polk said. 

Students can RSVP on HerdLink or by emailing Shaunte Polk at [email protected] or Housing and Residence Life at [email protected].