,,iv  #aah? ,,congress  #b;d ,session   
,h4 ,,con4 ,,res4 #ib  ,,9 ,,! ,,h\se   
,,( ,,repres5tatives  ,febru>y #bj1     
#bjbd,ms4 ,bu% submitt$ ! foll[+        
concurr5t resolution2 :i* 0 ref]r$ to ! 
,committee on ! ,judici>y  ,,concurr5t  
,,resolution  ,honor+ ! ,m>y ,mea*um    
,fre$om ,cross+4  ,:]eas ! ,m>y ,mea*um 
,fre$om ,cross+ is d$icat$ z "p ( !     
,national ,und]gr\nd ,railroad ,network 
to ,fre$om1 locat$ on ! ,mississippi    
,gre5way along ! ,/4 ,l\is riv]front2   
,:]eas ,m>y ,mea*um & h] husb&1 ,rev]5d 
,john ,b]ry ,mea*um1 7 abolitioni/s :o  
d$icat$ _! entire lives to educat+ &    
free+ enslav$ p2 ,:]eas ,john ,b]ry     
,mea*um1 born enslav$ on ,may #c1 #aghi1
 9 ,goo*l& ,c\nty1 ,virg9ia1 work$ z a  
c>p5t] & pur*as$ 8 own fre$om at ! age (
 #ba2 ,:]eas1 aft] free+ himself f      
enslavem5t1 ,mea*um walk$ #gjj miles to 
,hanov] ,c\nty1 ,virg9ia1 to pur*ase 8  
fa!r's fre$om2 ,:]eas1 aft] pur*as+ 8   
fa!r's fre$om1 ! pair walk$ #gjj miles  
back to ,k5tucky1 :]e !y promptly       

pur*as$ ! fre$om ( ,john's "m & sibl+s1 
) ,john meet+ 8 future wife soon aft]2  
,:]eas ,m>y ,mea*um 0 born into slav]y 9
 ,k5tucky 9 #ahja & =cibly relocat$ to  
,/4 ,l\is1 ,miss\ri1 :5 %e 0 only #ad   
ye>s old2 ,:]eas ,m>y 0 =c$ to leave    
beh9d h] newly belov$1 ,john ,b]ry      
,mea*um1 b ,john foll[$ h] to ,/4 ,l\is 
& b\ght h] fre$om2 ,:]eas1 9 #ahbe1 ,/4 
,l\is pass$ an ord9ance t made x illegal
 = ,black ,am]icans to assemble )\t a   
p]mit f ! city & a police (fic] pres5t1 
mak+ education ne>ly impossible to      
atta92 ,:]eas1 9 #ahbg1 ! c\ple e/abli%$
 ! ,fir/ ,african ,bapti/ ,*ur* 9 ,/4   
,l\is1 ! olde/ ,black ,am]ican *ur* we/ 
( ! ,mississippi ,riv]1 ^: congregation 
prim>ily consi/$ ( enslav$ p :o 7       
p]mitt$ by _! own]s to att5d2 ,:]eas    
,rev]5d ,mea*um began a s*ool = ,black  
,am]icans & secretly taught /ud5ts 9 !  
basem5t ( ! *ur* by c&lelight1 also kn[n
 z a c&le tall[ s*ool2 ,:]eas1 9 #ahdg1 
soon aft] ,miss\ri outlaw$ all education
 = bo? fre$ & enslav$ ,black            

,miss\rians1 ! s*ool 0 dismantl$ by !   
police2 ,:]eas1 9 defiance ( ! ,fugitive
 ,slave ,act ( #ahej1 ! ,mea*ums' home 0
 a waypo9t on ! ,und]gr\nd ,railroad1   
:]e !y help$ c\ntless enslav$ p escape  
to ,ill9ois1 :]e slav]y 0 outlaw$2      
,:]eas1 aft] ,john's dea? 9 ,febru>y    
#ahed1 ,m>y ,mea*um cont9u$ _! tireless 
abolitioni/ "w educat+ & free+ enslav$  
p2 ,:]eas1 on ! night ( ,may #ba1 #ahee1
 a small gr\p ( enslav$ p 7 captur$ by  
enslav]s & law en=cem5t1 giv+ up ,m>y   
,mea*um's "n z ! arrang] ( ! escape     
attempt & li/+ h] home z ! r5dezv\s po9t
 :]e !y began _! j\rney2 ,:]eas ,m>y    
,mea*um 0 arre/$ & *>g$ ) slave !ft "u !
 ,fugitive ,slave ,act ( #ahej2 ,:]eas1 
foll[+ a long s]ies ( h]oic1 selfless1 &
 hi/oric fights = ! fre$om & education (
 enslav$ p1 ,m>y ,mea*um pass$ away 9   
,/4 ,l\is 9 #ahfi2 & ,:]eas1 9 #bjja1 ! 
,m>y ,mea*um ,fre$om ,cross+ 0 d$icat$ z
 "p ( ! ,national ,und]gr\nd ,railroad  
,network to ,fre$om1 a congressionally  
m&at$ program ( ! ,national ,p>k ,s]vice

 t honors1 pres]ves1 & promotes ! hi/ory
 ( resi/ance to enslavem5t ?r\gh escape 
& flight3 ,n[1 !re=e1 be x ,t           
,congress--  7#a7 honors ! lives & "w ( 
,m>y & ,john ,mea*um & recognizes !     
importance ( ! ,m>y ,mea*um ,fre$om     
,cross+ z a "p ( ?is ,nation's hi/ory2 &
  7#b7 elevates ,black ,hi/ory ,mon? z a
 "t to evoke hi/orical memory ab\t !    
sacrifices & contributions made by      
,black ,am]icans1 p>ticul>ly ,black     
abolitioni/s4