According to the Oxford dictionary knowledge is the state or fact of being aware and being able to comprehend and understand-gained by experience or study. The only key to success is knowledge and knowledge is power. Therefore whites believed they over-powered African Americans. They felt as if it were impossible for blacks to become more successful than them, leading them to empead the educational progress of African Americans. Whenever African Americans were caught trying to read they would cut out their eyes. If they were caught writing the masters would cut off their fingers and hands. As stated by our museum tour guide, Mrs. Randulof they would even chop off their entire arm The African Americans were seeking education to become as smart as the whites Americans.
. Wilberforce University, one of the outstanding predominately and historically African American institutions of higher learning and also the first to be operated .
by African Americans, was founded in eighteen-fifty-six by William Wilberforce. Our ancestors fought and struggled for the well-being of the African American culture. They also paved a way for us to be recognized as equal individuals and by doing so they made the world a better place. Even though we still have to struggle they made it a lot easier for us to succeed. Halie Q. Brown made it possible for women to be able to work and actually get an education. Brown knew we didn't want to stay at home all day with kids cooking and cleaning. Due to her hard work and dedication she played an important role in the lives of African American women and their equality with men. .
To seek freedom, slaves would follow the scenic river route or they would go to the underground railroad located under the Wilberforce community today to redeem a commuter who directed them towards Ohio to compensate their freedom from their masters on the slave plantation. The slaves would flee to Ohio because they knew the northern states were free from slavery.