America's River Roots Festival isn't until October, but there's already an app connected to it. The Freedom Journey app was developed to highlight the Underground Railroad, as the .
Holly Brians Regusa with the festival's advisory board says the app points out historic locations and event sites.
鈥淭here鈥檒l be mapping and GPS locations; custom tours that are already premade for you, so you could just plug and play and go,鈥� she says. 鈥淎nd then you can build your own tour as well. You can bookmark sites that are really of interest to you.鈥�
She says one example is the story of Eliza Harris, who crossed the Ohio to freedom with her child during the winter.
鈥淭hat particular individual has a marker along the river that could easily be overlooked, and her story could be lost to history,鈥� Brians Regusa says. 鈥淏ut now, through the Freedom Journey app, you can carry history in your pocket.鈥�
She says the app is for 鈥渓ifelong learners.鈥�
America's River Roots Ambassador Kyla Woods says the Freedom Journey app tells the story of people escaping enslavement and those who helped them.
鈥淣ot just people who were Black, or in the minority population, but we had our counterparts 鈥� white people who were advocating for slavery to be abolished, and who were holding meetings and who were getting hundreds of people together with the shared understanding and a shared passion to really serve and advocate in that way,鈥� she says.
Brians Regusa says you can download it for free for and .
鈥淥nce you do, you鈥檒l have the opportunity to review all of the narratives that are within each site and key individuals,鈥� she says.
Woods says the platform was developed along with the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center.
鈥淲e were very intentional about wanting to bring this app to the public prior to the festival so that 鈥� the community can come together, learn, and bring that knowledge with them," she says.
The Freedom Center will maintain the app after the festival.
Read more: