Underground Railroad stories (video)

K-State College of Education, May 17, 2016; Crystal Q., Ashley Wells (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly

Dawn of Day: Stories from the Underground Railroad

The horrors of all-American slavery

Dawn of Day is a historical documentary about the Underground Railroad -- the route followed by blacks escaping legal slavery, usually moving from the South to the northern free states -- in Kansas. It brings to light Wabaunsee County’s unsung heroes, who traversed one of the most turbulent times in the nation’s history. Faith, family, and politics united a community of neighbors who lived and died to ensure Kansas was a free state. Richard Pitts, director of the Wonder Workshop in Manhattan, Kansas, narrates the film and interviews educators, historians, and descendants of abolitionists, whose shared heritage lives on in the freedom we enjoy today.

May 11, 2020: Richard Pitts, the narrator of this film, passed away. His life was spent working with youth, teaching and inspiring them to make a difference in the world around them.

Produced by Debbie K. Mercer, College of Education, Kansas State University. Directed by Rusty Earl. Music Licensed from firstcom.com. Cooper Reflected Motion. Elias_Trevino Coastal Divide. Pollard_Salkeld Brittle Bones. Bohn_Worsey Spiral Galaxy. Bohn_Worsey Sapphire Sky. Hill_Burrows Standing Strong. Elias_Trevino Wandering Revelation. Hoo Redemption and Grace. Cooper Aurora Skies. Elias_Trevino Return of Light. Bohn_Worsey Wild Flower. Elias_Trevino Tight Embrace. Bohn_Worsey Shallow Waters. Salisbury_Taylor Where Life Begins. Elias_Trevino Hearts Content. Pollard_Salkeld Awaken a Thought. Pollard_Salkeld Rain in my Heart. Sheppard Enchanted Moment. Elias_Hoo Hometown Magic. Hoo Redemption and Grace. Elias_Trevino American Rivers.