From 1793 to 1961, Rokeby was home to four generations of Robinsons — a remarkable family of Quakers, farmers, abolitionists, artists, and authors. Today, the Robinson family’s home is a National Historic Landmark, designated for its exceptional Underground Railroad history. Rokeby is among the best-documented Underground Railroad sites in the country, one the National Park Service has described as:
“unrivaled among known sites for its historical integrity and the poignancy of the stories it tells.”
Telling those stories is at the center of the Museum’s mission, which is to “connect visitors with the human experience of the Underground Railroad and with the lives of the Robinsons, who lived on and farmed this land for nearly 200 years.” Guided by Rachel Gilpin and Rowland Thomas Robinson’s commitment to speaking truth to power, today’s Rokeby is committed to serving as a center for the exploration and discussion of contemporary social justice issues.
Rokeby Museum will host an evening discussion with author and journalist Scott Shane on his 2023 book Flee North: A Forgotten Hero and the Fight for Freedom in Slavery’s Borderland.
FLEE NORTH unearths the lost story of Thomas Smallwood, born into slavery in Maryland, who bought his freedom, educated himself, and became a shoemaker in Southwest Washington, a short walk from the U.S. Capitol. Smallwood began to organize mass escapes from slavery by the wagonload, with the help of a young white partner, Charles Torrey — and wrote about the escapes in extraordinary satirical dispatches for an abolitionist newspaper in Albany. It was Smallwood, Scott Shane discovered, who gave the underground railroad its name. Smallwood’s daring operation took place against the very dark background of the domestic slave trade, which thrived on Washington’s Mall and at Baltimore’s Inner Harbor, shipping thousands of people every year away from their families to the cotton and sugar plantations of the deep south. The book’s third central character, Baltimore’s Hope Slatter, was the era’s dominant slave trader, operating from his private “slave jail” near Baltimore’s harbor.
To learn more and purchase tickets visit: https://rokeby.org/event/lecture-with-scott-shane-author-of-flee-north-a-forgotten-hero-and-the-fight-for-freedom-in-slaverys-borderland/
History lovers! check out this two-day historic shirt making workshop at the Museum. Learn from a fashion and textile historian and fiber artist, @sewingwithspirits about historic garment making and period stitching techniques. View clothing from the collection worn by the historic Robinson family and make your own shirt!
September 21st and 28th Register at https://rokeby.org/events/
Our FREE racial learning summer series continues! Adapted from our PreK in-classroom program, this is a community resource for children ages 4-6 and their accompanying caregiver. Learn about topics like the Montgomery Bus Boycott, how to take action for change, and the science behind skin color!
Sign up for just one, or the entire series:
August 24: Skin Tone 2 August 31: Racial Justice: Civil Rights Movement September 7th: Taking Action
Learn more and register here: https://rokeby.org/events/
Lisa Cline-Ransome`s award winning children`s book explores the many untold lives of Harriet Tubman with accompanying watercolors by James E. Ransome.
We often get the question, did Harriet Tubman come to Rokeby? There is no evidence that Tubman was on-site or working with the Robinsons in Vermont. However, both had connections to the Vigilance Committees: Black-lead, urban organizations at the center of Underground Railroad operations.
Today’s the day! Join us for our annual community favorite, the Pie & Ice Cream Social!
⏱️: 1–4 pm 📍: Rokeby Museum grounds 🎟️: Admission FREE! 🥧 + 🍦: Slice of pie & scoop of ice cream: $8
In addition to yards and yards of homemade pie and @benandjerrys ice cream, there will be raffle prizes as well as music by @vermontfolklife / @youngtraditionvt Sugar in the Pan Trad Band throughout the afternoon! @letsgrowkids will have a table set up with games for kids!
Thanks to our sponsors, admission to the museum’s exhibits will be free from 1–4. Docents will be available in the historic house to answer questions about Rokeby’s history.
Rokeby Museum is open May 25–October 13, 2024. Additional programs and events are being planned for the season. Sign up for our eNewsletter to receive the Museum's news and announcements