National Abolition Hall of Fame and Museum

10/01/2026

Nothing like Peterboro on a beautiful Fall afternoon. Are you coming to visit NAHOF this weekend? We'll be open from 12:00 - 4:00pm on Saturday and Sunday; come say hi!

09/29/2026

Have you heard of the Jerry Rescue?

09/26/2026

Our friends at S**C would like to invite you to an evening with author Dorothy Wickenden, focusing on her fantastic book "The Agitators" on October 7th.

The book, featuring Harriet Tubman, Frances A. Seward, and Martha Coffin Wright, highlights the often underrepresented women of abolition. We hope you can attend!

09/25/2026

Did you miss "Fugitives, Friends, and Freedom" with Jeffrey Davis at NAHOF? (which recieved a standing ovation! ) Maybe you want to experience it again? Is it your first time?

Our friends at the May Memorial Unitarian Universalist Society in Syracuse are hosting the free multimedia presentation on Sunday, October 4th at 12:00pm.
We'll see you there to experience the stories of these brave abolitionists!

09/22/2026

On this day in Abolition History, on September 22, 1862, President Lincoln signed the Preliminary Emancipation Proclamation. The proclamation informed the Confederacy the Union's directive to free all enslaved people in the rebelling states.

Many freedom seekers took up arms when the Proclamation took effect in January of 1863, joining the Union Army. These African American soldiers came to comprise 10% of the Union Army by 1865, but still faced segregation based on the color of their skin despite their bravery.

09/20/2026

The abolitionists of New York State planned to address the need to end enslavement in the United States. 600 delegates assembled in Utica, where they were threatened and mobbed. Gerrit Smith, witnessing the thwarting of First Amendment rights, invited the delegates to the safety of Peterboro. Through the cold, rainy night of October 21, 1835, 400 delegates traveled through Vernon Center to Peterboro, and the 104 climbed the hills through Canastota.

Help us honor the walk of those brave 104 on Saturday, October 10th. Visit our website www.abolitionroad.org for details and to register

In 1835, 104 brave souls escaped an angry mob of anti-abolitionists in Utica, embarked on an Erie Canal lumber barge to Canastota, and climbed the trail to Peterboro where they formed the New York State Anti-Slavery Society. We will retrace a portion of that trek. Proceeds will benefit NAHOF.

09/18/2026

Join Hofstra University Professor Alan Singer on Saturday, September 26, from 10 AM to 12:00 PM for the "New Your and Slavery Walking Tour" as part of the "We Want More History Weekend".

The tour will guide you across New York City to historical sites to recognize "the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence and the Battle of Brooklyn and the 400th anniversary of the first enslaved Africans arriving in New Amsterdam."

This event is free, starting at the Triumph of the Human Spirit monument in Foley Square, Manhattan. For more information, contact [email protected]

09/18/2026

We will be closed tomorrow, as our volunteer is not feeling well - please wish them the best! The museum will be open on Sunday from 12:00 pm to 4:00 pm. We look forward to seeing you then!

09/16/2026

As Induction Day approaches, we have received a very special sponsor, called the Jay Project. Descendants of William Jay and John Jay II, they have come together to " promote greater awareness about the role and legacy of slavery and abolitionism in the Jay family and, through collective reflection and action, promote healing and restoration."

If you'd like to join NAHOF and the Jay Project at Induction Day 2026, follow the link: https://tinyurl.com/3dz6y7z2

09/15/2026

We're spotlighting the Oneida Institute in Whiteboro, NY, as part of International Underground Railroad Month. Chartered in 1829, the Oneida Institute rose to prominence with the presidency of Beriah Green in 1833. During Green's tenure, the progressive school had an equal number of black and white students and included influential freedom seekers Jermain Loguen and Henry Highland Garnet, among others - even serving as a stop on the Underground Railroad.

While the school is no longer standing, the Oneida Freedom Trail has dedicated a stop to memorialize it as a site of anti-slavery action and thought before the Civil War. The school was near what is now Dimbleby Funeral Home.

You can read more about Beriah Green and the Oneida Institute here: https://www.nationalabolitionhalloffameandmuseum.org/beriah-green.html