All Lunch & Learn events start promptly at 11:30 am at the Chelsea Restaurant at 335 Middle Street in New Bern. The cost is $17 for Historical Society members and $22 for non-members, which includes a delicious Chelsea entree, bread, dessert, iced tea, and coffee. Reservations must be paid in advance, either online from the Tickets page or by calling the New Bern Historical Society at 252-638-8558. Please select your menu option when ordering. Paper tickets are not issued; simply check in at the door with your confirmation.
Wednesday, February 12, 2020
The Underground Railroad in New Bern
Presented by Leesa Jones
11:30 am at The Chelsea Restaurant
Sold out! Please call our office for information about a possible encore presentation.
With its many rivers, creeks, and seaports, the Maritime Underground Railroad was active in eastern North Carolina. This version of the Underground Railroad was so effective that runaway slaves often ran to the coast instead of heading north to reach freedom through overland routes. This fascinating program will share how enslaved people in this area used common items including plants, nursery rhymes, songs, clothing, and dance to convey messages to abolitionists, ship captains, and others in obtaining their freedom. The audience will be engaged to share in the presentation and to learn more about this dark chapter of history in a creative way.
Leesa Jones is the Executive Director of the Washington Waterfront Underground Railroad Museum in Washington, NC. Leesa was born, raised and educated in "Little Washington." She attended the City University of New York and was a pre-school teacher for thirty two years before her retirement. She has also been an ordained minister for twenty four years. Ms. Jones founded the African American Walking History Tours in 2009 and founded the Washington Waterfront Underground Railroad Museum in 2016. The Museum explores slavery, how the underground railroad functioned in the local area and how the enslaved planned and carried out escapes to freedom from the waterfront and the greater eastern NC overland routes. They are a National Park Service Underground Railroad-Network To Freedom site.
Lunch & Learn starts promptly at 11:30 am at the Chelsea Restaurant. Entree choices are Beef Shoulder Tenderloin with Horseradish ~ or ~ Chicken Bruschetta; both served with Parmesan risotto, sauteed vegetables, rolls, strawberry layer cake, tea and coffee. Wine and beer available for purchase.
Save the date for upcoming Lunch & Learns and other presentations:
Sunday, January 19: Annual Civil War Presentation: The Fight for the Old North State, presented by author Hampton Newsome. 2pm at NC History Center. Book signing and reception following.
Sunday, February 23, 2020: Special Presentation - The History of the Downtown New Bern Renaissance, presented by Susan Moffat-Thomas. 2pm at NC History Center.
Wednesday, March 11: Lunch & Learn, North Carolina’s Confederate Hospitals, presented by Wade Sokolosky.
Spring 2020 Lunch & Learn programs: April 8 and May 13 - details TBA.