Slaves took first step to freedom at Hatteras Island

A site on the Outer Banks is being added to the National Park Service's Underground Railroad Network to Freedom.
Posted 7/31/2013, 10:51:51 PM Updated 9/23/2025, 7:49:44 PM

>>> A STORY ALONG OUR COAST IS

MAKING WAVES AND A NEW MONUMENT

WAS DEDICATED TODAY TO HELP

TELL THAT STORY.

IT IS NOT THE STORY OF SHIPS

LOST TO THE FATHOMS.

IT IS THE STORY OF MEN AND

WOMEN WHO FOUND FREEDOM.

BILL LESLIE EXPLAINS.

>> REPORTER: THE GRAVEYARD OF

THE ATLANTIC HOLDS TIGHT A

SECRET.

>> IT'S AN UNTOLD STORY HERE.

AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY HERE.

>> IT'S SMALL EN CAMPMENT.

FORMER SLAVES AND FREE MEN AND

WOMEN OF COLOR FLOCKED TO IT.

>> IT WAS ABOUT TWO MILES SOUTH

OF HERE.

TODAY IT'S UNFORTUNTELY UNDER

WATER.

>> IT WAS IN THE LAND OF DIXIE

MAYBE 105 DAYS, THAT'S IT.

>> WHEN THE UNION CAPTURED

CONFEDERAT FORTS ON THE BARRIER

ISLAND IN 1861, FORMER SLAVES

AND FREE MEN WORKED FOR UNION

TROOPS LOADING SHIPS AND DOING

OTHER CHORES.

AT A CEREMONY ON HATERAS

ISLAND, HISTORIANS UNVEILED A

MARKER DEDICATING THIS SITE AS

AN OFFICIAL PART OF THE

UNDERGROUND RAILWAY, A SPUR TO

THE ROUTE MANY SLAVES TOOK TO

FREEDOM.

DARE COUNTY COMMISSIONER CAN

TRACE HER ROOTS BACK TO THE

VILLAGE.

>> WHAT FOLK DON'T QUITE

UNDERSTAND IS THAT THE

DEVELOPMENT OF THIS COUNTY WAS

BY A LOT OF MY ANCESTORS.

>> THIS IS MORE THAN A

MONUMENT, IT'S A REMINDER TO

KEEP THE STORY ALIVE.

>> I'M GETTING OLDER, SO WE ARE

ENCOURAGING OUR CHILDREN AND

GRANDCHILDREN TO PICK THE UP

AND KEEP IT GOING.

>> THE GRAVEYARD HOLD THE MANY

SECRETS BUT THIS MARKER WELL

HIP ELEVATE THE STORY OF THE

HOTEL AND KEEP IT SECRET NO

MORE.

BILL LESLIE, WRAL NEWS, DARE

COUNTY.

>> SOMETHING ELSE TO MAKE OUR

COAST EVEN MORE SPECIAL.

THE MARKER IS IN FRONT OF THE

GRAVEYARD OF THE ATLANTIC

© WRAL