Next Stop: Freedom

Frankford, one of the oldest communities in the county that came to be called Philadelphia, has a rich legacy of involvement in the Underground Railroad. Located just above the Mason-Dixon line, Pennsylvania—and Philadelphia in particular—was a major hub of anti-slavery activity. An 1830 Black political convention in Philadelphia to protest and organize against slavery encouraged abolitionists to use churches as sanctuaries for fugitive slaves. Next Stop: Freedom was shot by a group of Philadelphia high school students. They focus on Campbell A.M.E. Church of Frankford, the first black congregation it the area, which partnered with Quakers to assist enslaved people seeking freedom. The student's documentary captures the oral histories of church elders: much of the institutional knowledge about Campbell A.M.E.'s involvement in the Underground Railroad has been passed down this way, from clerk to clerk. "It's really important for grandparents to pass this information on to their children," says church member Connie Whitmore, “so we'll all know our history." Next Stop: Freedom is an effective translation of these vital oral histories onto video, and a valuable exploration of the historical ties of Frankford area churches to the Underground Railroad and the struggle against slavery.