A presentation at the Mennonite Heritage Center in Harleysville will connect locals with a historic movement they may not immediately associate with Montgomery County: The Underground Railroad.

In an area steeped in Revolutionary War history, the Civil War and its related topics can sometimes fade from public consciousness.

The upcoming presentation by local historian Ryan J. Conroy seeks to counter that lack of awareness with a most effective tool: engaging education.

Conroy will speak about specific properties and individuals that played a part in leading slaves to freedom.

According to information from Gwynedd Friends Meeting (a Quaker house of worship), Quakers began working for the freedom of Black residents shortly after the end of the Revolutionary War. Quaker leaders believed the colonists break from English rule set all residents free, not just those of a particular race or heritage.

In the 1830s, communities in Gywnedd, Plymouth, Towamencin, Worcester, and Norristown were commonly using the Underground Railroad to shuttle escaping slaves northwest into Bucks County and beyond to safety.

Presenter Conroy serves as Vice President of the Spring-Ford Area Historical Society and is a Councilman for Royersford Borough. He has volunteered with multiple local nonprofit organizations and businesses to provide historical research. Further, he has written for magazines, websites, and blogs. He also produces a local history show online for Voxipop called Timeless Tales.

The presentation is Sept. 3, noon to 1:00 p.m., at the center on 565 Yoder Rd., Harleysville. No registration is necessary.

Programming at the Mennonite Heritage Center shares Anabaptist-Mennonite stories in order to educate, inspire, and witness to the church and community.

More about its work is online.