International Underground Railroad Month Announces North Star Day Weekend Events

by Dewitt Lee III

Remembering the Journey of Freedom Seekers. Carrying the Legacy Forward.

The U.S./Canadian International Underground Railroad Month Committee presented a series of public events from September 27–30, 2026, recognizing the history of the Underground Railroad, the role of faith communities and abolitionists, and the continuing importance of education, remembrance and international cooperation.

The observances coincided closely with the 100th anniversary of the 1926 Slavery Convention, an international treaty adopted under the League of Nations in Geneva on September 25, 1926. The Convention entered into force on March 9, 1927, and committed participating states to work toward suppressing slavery and the slave trade.

The 2026 International Underground Railroad Month closing ceremonies came during a landmark year for Underground Railroad preservation in New York State. In June 2026, legislation establishing the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Scenic Byway as part of New York’s scenic byways system was signed into law. The first phase encompasses approximately 176.76 miles and connects 22 sites associated with Harriet Tubman, freedom seekers and the Underground Railroad, extending from the Auburn area across Western New York to Niagara Falls.

Its establishment is especially meaningful as International Underground Railroad Month gathers in Buffalo and Niagara Falls, communities located near the western end of the newly designated route and closely connected to the international story of freedom seekers traveling toward Canada.