Through Darkness to Light: Photographs Along the Underground Railroad
They left during the middle of the night—often carrying little more than the knowledge that moss grows on the north side of trees. An estimated 100,000 slaves between 1830 and the end of the Civil War in 1865 chose to embark on this journey in search of freedom. They moved in constant fear of being killed or recaptured, returned, and beaten as an example of what would happen to others who might choose to run. Under the cover of darkness, “fugitives” traveled roughly twenty miles each night traversing rugged terrain while enduring all the hardships that Mother Nature could bring to bear. Occasionally, they were guided from one secret, safe location to the next by an ever-changing, clandestine group known as the Underground Railroad. Many consider the Underground Railroad to be the first great freedom movement in the Americas and the first time when people of different races and faiths worked together in harmony for freedom and justice.
Photographer Jeanine Michna-Bales has spent more than a decade meticulously researching “fugitive” slaves and the ways they escaped to freedom. While the unnumbered routes of the Underground Railroad encompassed countless square miles, the path Michna-Bales documented encompasses roughly 2,000 miles and is based off of actual sites, cities, and places that freedom-seekers passed through during their journey.
Whether they were slaves trying to escape or free blacks and whites trying to help, both sides risked everything for the cause of freedom. From the cotton plantations south of Natchitoches, Louisiana, all the way north to the Canadian border, this series of photographs by Michna-Bales helps us imagine what the long road to freedom may have looked like as seen through the eyes of one of those who made this epic journey.
While many books have been written on the subject, there is very little visual documentation of the Underground Railroad because of its secretive nature. Today, as America becomes more and more diverse, Michna-Bales believes that an understanding of the experience—and those who lived through it—is more relevant than ever. The Underground Railroad united people from different races, genders, social levels, religions, and regions in a common and worthwhile cause. It was the first civil rights movement within America. Through Darkness to Light: Photographs Along the Underground Railroad encourages visitors to learn more, ask questions, and open a dialogue on the subject, and in the end, provide a better understanding of our origins.
This exhibition features beautifully dramatic color photographs, ephemera, and narratives that together tell the story of the Underground Railroad. A publication that combines eighty-two original photographs and text with a diverse sampling of related ephemera is available for purchase here.
From an evaluation from the Griot Museum of Black History & Culture (Saint Louis, MO) about Through Darkness to Light: Photographs Along the Underground Railroad:
“The photography is stunning and the message profound. An interesting way to interpret the story. [The] programming grant made it possible to offer three rather than one program. Each program, different in content and artistic merit, added a unique interpretation to the exhibit and to the work of the artist. The programming also provided us the opportunity to engage multiple artist and subsequently the greater opportunity for our audience to interact with them.”
Tour Schedule
Through Darkness to Light: Photographs Along the Underground Railroad is touring January 2017 through March 2027. The dates below reflect seven-week exhibition periods. Extended dates for this exhibition will soon be posted; please contact MoreArt@maaa.org or (800) 473-3872 x208/209 for more information or to place a hold.
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January 28–March 16, 2017
Evanston History Center
Evanston, IL booked -
April 6–May 25, 2017
Fort Smith Regional Art Museum
Fort Smith, AR booked -
June 16–August 11, 2017
Griot Museum of Black History
St. Louis, MO booked -
September 1–October 20, 2017
Wyandotte County Historical Society & Museum
Bonner Springs, KS booked -
November 10, 2017–January 7, 2018
Museum of History & Art Ontario
Ontario, CA booked -
January 28–March 16, 2018
Texarkana Regional Arts & Humanities Council
Texarkana, TX booked -
April 6–May 25, 2018
Panola College
Carthage, TX booked -
June 16–October 20, 2018
Portsmouth Art and Cultural Center
Portsmouth, VA booked -
November 10, 2018–January 7, 2019
Refurbishment
Kansas City, MO booked -
January 28–March 16, 2019
Alexandria Black History Museum
Alexandria, VA booked -
April 6–May 25, 2019
West Baton Rouge Museum
Port Allen, LA booked -
June 16–August 11, 2019
Boone County Public Library
Burlington, KY booked -
August 30–October 22, 2019
Canton Museum of Art
Canton, OH booked -
November 10, 2019–January 7, 2020
Gorman Discovery Center
Kansas City, MO booked -
January 28–May 25, 2020
Upcountry History Museum
Greenville, SC booked -
June 16–August 11, 2020
Gettysburg Foundation
Gettysburg, PA booked -
September 1–October 20, 2020
Bell County Museum
Belton, TX booked -
January 28–March 16, 2021
Temecula Valley Museum
Temecula, CA booked -
April 6–August 11, 2021
Pink Palace Museums
Memphis, TN booked -
September 1–October 20, 2021
Oxford Performing Arts Center
Oxford, AL booked -
November 10, 2021–January 7, 2022
Mennello Museum of American Art
Orlando, FL booked -
January 28–March 16, 2022
University of Arkansas, Pulaski Technical College
Little Rock, AR booked -
April 6–May 25, 2022
Refurbishment
Kansas City, MO booked -
June 16–August 11, 2022
Kansas City Kansas Public Library
Kansas City, KS booked -
September 1, 2022–January 7, 2023
Mississippi Arts & Entertainment Experience
Meridian, MS booked -
January 28–March 19, 2023
Bess Bower Dunn Museum of Lake County
Libertyville, IL booked -
April 6–May 25, 2023
Temecula Valley Museum
Temecula, CA booked -
September 1–October 20, 2023
New Bedford Historical Soceity
New Bedford, MA booked -
November 10, 2023–January 7, 2024
Gettysburg Foundation
Gettysburg, PA booked -
January 28–March 16, 2024
St. Mary's County Museums
Leonardtown, MD booked -
April 1–May 21, 2024
Sand Springs Cultural & Historical Museum
Sand Springs, OK booked -
June 16–August 11, 2024
Tryon Palace
New Bern, NC booked -
September 1–October 20, 2024
Ypsilanti District Library
Ypsilanti, MI booked -
November 10, 2024–January 7, 2025
Everhart Museum of Natural History, Science, and Art
Scranton, PA booked -
January 28–March 16, 2025
Kennedy-Douglass Center for the Arts
Florence, AL booked -
April 6–May 25, 2025
Refurbishment
Kansas City, MO booked -
June 16–August 11, 2025
Kansas African American Museum
Wichita, KS pending -
September 1–January 7, 2026
Irving Arts Center
Irving, TX booked -
January 28–March 16, 2026
The National Willa Cather Center
Red Cloud, NE booked -
April 6–May 25, 2026
Watkins Museum of History
Lawrence, KS booked -
June 16–August 11, 2026
available -
September 1–October 20, 2026
Allen County Museum
Allen, OH booked -
November 10, 2026–January 7, 2027
City of Fairfax
Fairfax, VA pending -
January 28–March 16, 2027
Mississippi Department of Archives and History
Jackson, MS pending
Exhibition Details
48 chromogenic color prints, 17 quote panels, and 3 informational panels
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Content
Fee Includes:
Press Kit
Registrar’s Packet
Programming Guide
Gallery Guide
Text Panels
Narrative Labels
Full Insurance
Installation Instructions
Custom-Designed and Built Crates -
Curated By
ExhibitsUSA, Mid-America Arts Alliance
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Organized By
ExhibitsUSA, Mid-America Arts Alliance, Kansas City, MO
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Out-of-Region Rental Fee
$6,600
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In-Region Rental Fee
$3,960
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Duration
7-week display
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Shipping
Van line
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Running Feet
275
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Square Feet
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Security
Moderate B
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Number of Crates/Total Weight
4 crates/900 pounds
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Insurance
The exhibition is fully insured by ExhibitsUSA at no additional expense to you, both while installed and during transit.