For many states, September represents International Underground Railroad Month. In 2019, The State of Maryland proclaimed September as International Underground Railroad Month. In 2020, the states Maryland and Michigan were trailblazers in the effort to include more states in this celebration, working with the National Park Service's National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom to connect with verified Underground Railroad sites, facilities, and programs from across the United States.
September was chosen to represent International Underground Railroad Month because it was the month that two of the most well known freedom seekers and Underground Railroad operatives, Frederick Douglass and Harriet Tubman, escaped from slavery.
