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New York City Slavery and Underground Railroad Tour

New York City Slavery and Underground Railroad Tour

Overview

Learn the contributions of enslaved people to NYC including the brave uprisings against oppression. Then discover the exciting history of the Underground Railroad, a network of clandestine routes and safe houses used by enslaved African Americans primarily to escape into free states and Canada.

Visit an archeological site and memorial dedicated to the memory of enslaved Africans in colonial America. Visit the site of a former station on the Underground Railroad. Learn about the revolts, kidnappings and dramatic escapes that occurred during the era of American slavery. Listen to tales of courage and triumph and discover the stories of real New Yorkers who risked their lives and properties to help people escape slavery on this historical New York City walking tour.

City: New York City

Fri 27 Dec

Other dates

You can choose the date already on the booking website

Starting at $35.00

Make a reservation

Fri 27 Dec

Starting at $35.00

Make a reservation

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What's Included

Local guide

Additional Info

Wheelchair accessible
Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
Service animals allowed
Public transportation options are available nearby
Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness

What To Expect

National Museum of the American Indian

(Exterior Visit) Built in 1907, Alexander Hamilton Custom House stands as a Beaux-Arts treasure commemorating the rise of trade and commerce in NYC with 3 floors of art and artifacts dedicated to Native Americans.

Battery Park

For more than 200 years, The Battery has been an invaluable part of New York City’s history. Decades before Ellis Island was built or the Statue of Liberty gazed down at incoming boats, millions of newcomers arrived at The Battery from Europe and elsewhere.

Fraunces Tavern Museum

(Exterior Visit) The location played a prominent role in history before, during, and after the American Revolution.

Wall Street

An actual wall existed on the street from 1685 to 1699. The heart of the financial system and the former location of the Wall was built by enslaved people.

Foley Square

Foley Square is the location of the “Triumph of the Human Spirit,” a sculpture honoring the presence of enslaved people in New York.

African Burial Ground National Monument

African Burial Ground and memorial is the oldest and largest known excavated burial ground in New York documenting the lives of enslaved people in New York.

Show 3 more stops

Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Traveler Photos

Reviews (300)

betsyn975

Apr 2022

Cold, windy, and rainy day. So glad I didn’t back out because of the elements. Maia was our tour guide extraordinaire. Her knowledge and passion for the history of New York City is what kept me intrigued and not wanting to run to the nearest warm cafe. Highly recommend to those that know nothing of slavery in the US/NYC and to those that think they already know enough. Maia is sure to drop some knowledge you didn’t know was necessary.

peneloper2015

Mar 2022

In the senior English elective I teach at a NYC High School, students have just completed reading Toni Morrison's novel A Mercy; since the novel is set in the time of slavery, it was important to me to give the students some sense of how the city in which they live and/or attend school was involved in that trade. Inside Out Tours' New York City Slavery and Underground Railroad Tour fit the bill, visiting sites such as the NYC slave market, slave-holders' homes and abolitionists' homes, and finishing the tour at the very moving African Burial Ground on Broadway and Duane. Our tour guide, Sean, was an expert in his field, presenting the stories of how enslaved people contributed to the city from the earliest days of New Amsterdam. It was a very cold day, and Sean was very cognizant of the fact that my seniors needed to warm up from time time, carefully choosing sunny spots from which to tell his wonderful stories, and draw our attention to buildings and landmarks that many of us had walked past many times without understanding their true significance. My students were unanimous in their praise for the experience.

Lufadzwa

Mar 2022

Amazing tour! Our guide was very knowledgeable. We learned a lot--not only about slavery and the underground railroad--but about NYC history as well. Interesting anecdotes about local historical figures. At the end of the tour our guide offered to assist with instructions to our next destination. Waited for our kids to use a restroom mid-tour!

Response from Host

Jun 2022

Thank you so much for taking the time to write us a positive review. So glad you enjoyed and learned so much on the tour. Please that your kids enjoy too. Please consider Inside Out Tours again when in NYC.