They ventured deep into the forest until they reached the hidden structure made of tree branches and other brush.
Staying out all night, they danced, sang, shouted, prayed, and plotted to get free.
Known as “Hush Harbors,” these secret meeting spaces became a sanctuary for enslaved Africans. The dangers of being caught were extreme, but their losing hope was even more dangerous. Here is where they found a reason to survive.
Deep in the woods they dreamed of not only their freedom, but ours, too. They dreamed of a future in which their descendents were free.
It was within Hush Harbor that leaders like Nat Turner turned dreams of freedom into actionable revolutions.
Our ancestors were powerful and strategic. Long before the Civil Rights Movement, long-term protest efforts were happening at Hush Harbor.
Hush Harbor is where our ancestors redefined what it means to be in community. We as Black people must continue to value and center community within our lives and liberation efforts.
Long-term protest efforts require community, and radical hope. It is imperative that we create spaces just for us where we can gather, plan, and remember who, why, and what we’re fighting for.
And then we must continue to fight.