Invitation and Guidelines

Underground Railroad Monument Project

Invitation to Submit Design
The National Underground Railroad Freedom Center seeks designs for a new national monument to the Underground Railroad. Schools and youth groups interested in the history and legacy of the Underground Railroad are invited to submit packages.

Purpose
The purpose of the monument is to honor the courageous men and women who risked or lost their lives to escape slavery and persevered to reach freedom along the Underground Railroad, and to those who cooperated in assisting them.

Selection of Designs
Freedom Center staff will review design packages. They will choose those that best reflect the spirit of the Underground Railroad to display on the Freedom Center's web site. Designs posted for display will change from time to time.

Each school or group may submit one design package per school year. Design packages are accepted at any time; there is no deadline to meet.

Project Guidelines
Follow these general guidelines.
Design a monument, memorial, statue, or public sculpture.
Make it a minimum size of six feet high, ten feet wide, and five feet deep (6' x 10' x 5').
Make it a maximum size of 25 feet tall, 25 feet wide and 15 feet deep (25' x 25' x 15').
Build it to exist outdoors.
Create it with materials found in the United States.
Locate it in a community and state that played a key role in the Underground Railroad.
Include an inscription (written text) on it.

Here are guidelines for the items in the design package. Complete a total of six or more to submit. The first three are required.

Required
Two drawings of your design and surrounding grounds. Illustrate two views- front, rear, right side, or left side. Include measurements.
Text of the full inscription with selection of font.
A written explanation in essay form that tells:
how you came up with your design.
what you are trying to communicate about the Underground Railroad.
reasons for your choice of design features, such as materials, size, location, and inscription.
how you imagine visitors will react to and think about it.

Options
A photograph of a 3-D model made of your design.
A speech written to deliver when your monument is dedicated.
A selection of music to play during the dedication of your monument.
A press release written for the media that announces the unveiling and dedication of your monument.
An original poem that reflects the spirit of your monument to be read at the dedication.

Submission
Submit your design package in one of two ways:
electronically to education@nurfc.org
hard copy or on CD to Education Department, National Underground Railroad Freedom Center, 312 Elm Street, 12th floor, Cincinnati, OH 45202.

If you include a photograph of your class (approved by school administration and parents), we'll post that with your design, but a class photo is not required.