February 2007 Black History Month

Black History Month: Resources and Special Display

February is Black History Month, and the Geospatial Center & Map Collection is marking the month with a special "Map of the Month" display. This map, Freedom's Tracks: A Map of the Underground Railroad is on display along with two historical pencil drawings. The drawings are on loan from the Educational Resources Center in Bracken Library's lower level. The map shows the paths taken by the slaves during the Underground Railroad. According to the map, "this map depicts routes that were certainly used, probably used, and possibly used." Land, water, and rail routes are shown. The base map is an 1873 map of the United States.

The GCMC and Atlas Collection have a number of maps and atlases related to Black History Month. National Geographic has produced numerous maps of the continent of Africa that include thematic maps on the verso: Africa's Natural Realms, Africa Today, Africa: A Storied Landscape, and The Heritage of Africa. A map of the great figures of the Harlem Renaissance is available, as well as a map of the Martin Luther King, Jr., National Historic Site. The Atlas of African-American History and The New Atlas of African History are just some of the atlases available in the Atlas Collection.

Please contact the GCMC to borrow one of these maps or for more information on the Collection.