Panel advises Illinois commemorate its role in helping slaves escape the South

AP Political Writer

A task force of lawmakers and historians is recommending that Illinois create a full-time commission to commemorate the Underground Railroad in the state. The panel released a report on Tuesday at the state Capitol recommending the ongoing commission work with existing projects to unearth the stories and history of Illinois residents helping runaway slaves escape to freedom in the decades leading to the Civil War. As many as 7,000 slaves escaped bondage in the South through Illinois. Task force co-chair state Sen. David Koehler of Peoria says he hopes the commission will highlight “the stories that have not been told for decades of some of the bravest Illinoisans who stood up against oppression.”