Explore the historic events, attitudes, and laws that led up to the Underground Railroad and the Civil War. Discover the people and places along the escape routes, including those in less documented Illinois and Wisconsin. From the earliest American settlements of the 1500s to the end of the Civil War, enslaved African Americans resisted through escape (from wherever slavery existed) and flight to gain their freedom. Learn how the still-secretive Underground Railroad efforts changed through the years, and what mis-conceptions we have about it. Discover mysteries that are just now coming to light about the widespread networks of secret routes and hidden safe houses used by (at least 30,000 – 500,000) African Americans in their escape into free states, and from there to Canada, etc.

Vicki Ruthe Hahn, Owner of Stateline Genealogy Club, LLC, is a Retired Librarian with a BA and MLIS from University of Illinois. An experienced, regional Genealogy Presenter and Consultant, she founded the Beloit Public Library “Stateline Genealogy Club” in 2012 and created the “StatelineGenealogyClub.Wordpress.com” BLOG in 2014. She has a background in history, anthropology, clothing history, research, writing, and teaching. Vicki sorts out mysteries, rediscovers histories, weaves stories, & helps people with local history and their family genealogy, specializing from Central Illinois to Central Wisconsin.