CINCINNATI, OH (February 13, 2016) – The National Underground Railroad Freedom Center reflects on the life and legacy of Raymond L. Evers, whose efforts aided in securing one of the region’s most compelling artifacts on antebellum slavery in the United States.
Statement from the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center:
“The National Underground Railroad Freedom Center mourns the loss of Raymond L. Evers, one of the region’s greatest supporters of historical artifacts and their preservation. His deep passion and commitment to documenting local history led him to preservationist and Freedom Center historian Carl Westmoreland, where they worked together to safeguard one of our museum’s most challenging displays–the Slave Pen.
The Slave Pen was built in the early 1800’s and recovered from a farm in Mason County, Kentucky, where it was used as a temporary holding pen for enslaved people who would later be sold further south. The process to bring the one-of-a-kind artifact to the Freedom Center began in 1998 and took eight years to complete, where a skilled team of experts dismantled the structure piece by piece and rebuilt it inside the Center where it now stands permanently on display in our second floor galleries. It’s exhibition serves as an asset to the Freedom Center’s commitment to historical preservation and education, where it teaches visitors about the evils of slavery and provides greater insight into what slavery looked like within the region.
As we pause to celebrate and reflect on Raymond L. Evers life and contributions, we know that his work will continue to inspire future educators, historians, preservationists and everyday freedom heroes for countless generations to come.”
More information: freedomcenter.org