Sweet Freedom's Plains: African-Americans on the Overland Trails

The Center for Sacramento History partnered with the Cooper-Woodson College Enhancement Program at CSUS to help create a new living history project. "Sweet Freedom's Plains: African Americans on the Overland Trails, 1841-1869" explores the stories of African Americans who were part of the great overland trail migration of the nineteenth century. The program will include a replica wagon like that built by Hyrum Young, an African America wagon maker in Independence, Missouri. Young built some of the wagons used by the ill-fated Donner Party.

The team of volunteers led by Joe Moore and Roy Korb are using an authentic overland wagon undercarriage from c.1860. The undercarriage was restored by a South Dakota company. Moore and Korb are leading a team, using the wood/fabrication shop at the Center, to build a new wagon box and complete the wagon. With a June 2011 completion date, the wagon will be unveiled at the Center before moving on to a two month stay at the Oakland African American Museum and Library. Look for the wagon and accompanying living history actors at community events around the state and at Sacramento's Gold Rush Days in September.

Video by Shirley Moore.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• Sacramento
• California
• history
• replica
• restoration
• Hyrum Young
• CSUS
• Sacramento State
• Joe Moore
• Shirley Moore
• woodworking
• volunteers
• African Americans
• Overland Trail
• wagon