Josiah’s Journey tells story ‘about the infinite possibilities of humanity’

Josiah Henson’s story is one about perseverance and overcoming unimaginable obstacles.

On October 28, 1830, he landed in Fort Erie after escaping 41 years as a slave in the United States.

He was born into slavery in Maryland, travelled to Kentucky, and then ended up in Sandusky, OH, where he was welcomed by Indigenous people who accommodated him and his family, which included two children, before boarding a ship that would take him to Buffalo, N.Y.

He then crossed the Niagara River and stepped foot onto Canadian soil at what is known today as Freedom Park on Niagara Parkway, considered to be a vital spot along the Underground Railroad.

On Saturday, about 50 people from Buffalo rode bicycles over the Peace Bridge, and stopped at Freedom Park for the Josiah’s Journey event to receive a history lesson about Henson and the importance of the Niagara River shoreline when it comes to slaves finding freedom in Canada.

One if the individuals who informed the crowd on Saturday was Saldina Allah, who is a third great grandson of Henson.

Raising awareness about what Henson and other slaves had to endure to enjoy freedom is what he aims to do by participating in the third annual event, he told Fort Erie Radio in an interview.

“It’s important in terms of telling these stories because they teach you about the infinite possibilities of humanity,” he said.

It gives people an example of “what they can possibly do and possibly imagine,” added Allah, who is also director of community engagement of the Niagara Falls Underground Railroad Heritage Centre, located in Niagara Falls, N.Y.

While Henson was planning his escape, he would have to take into account how his two small children would be brought along.

This meant he practiced with two backpacks before he departed, Allah told everyone in attendance.

Allah showed an article from 1986 by the Niagara Gazette, a newspaper based out of Niagara Falls, N.Y., in which his grandmother Inez Dorsey shared a story about how Henson is considered to be the inspiration for the book ‘Uncle Tom’s Cabin’.

He also explained that Dorsey was born in St. Catharines and lived in an area called “Coloured Village,” which is also a place that iconic freedom seeker Harriet Tubman called home.

After landing along the Niagara River, Henson would stay in the area for some time, before heading to Dresden, Ontario, which started another major chapter in Henson’s story.

It was there that Henson and other abolitionists sought ways to provide refugees from slavery with the education and skills they needed to become self-sufficient in Upper Canada, according to information on the Ontario Heritage Trust website.

They purchased 200 acres of land in 1841 and established the British American Institute, one of the first schools in Canada to emphasize vocational training.

It has also been referred to as the Dawn Settlement.

The area is currently home to the Josiah Henson Museum of African-Canadian History.

George Johnson is president of Buffalo United Front, a collaboration of organizations and individuals working to reduce violence in the city. He was also one of the co-ordinators of Saturday’s international bike ride, and said he “got kind of emotional” as he crossed the Peace Bridge, telling everyone that they “made history” by participating.

Dewitt Lee, a resident of Buffalo and Toronto, was the leader in urging the Ontario government to declare August emancipation month.

It was given royal assent by the Ontario legislature in 2021.

Lee is the chairman of a group called Caretakers of our Culture, and said he was delighted to take part in Saturday’s event.

“It’s our job to tell these stories,” he said. “There’s only so much you can put on a plaque here.”

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