Article in Syracuse Alumni magazine

There is an article about me in the Syracuse Alumni magazine. My daughter Martha wrote it. read the article

Joan Southgate '52 lives in Cleveland, Ohio, where she is a social worker, organizer, and activist. In 2002, at age 73, she walked more than 500 miles from southern Ohio to southeastern Canada to honor the anonymous heroes of the Underground Railroad (UGRR) who, at great personal risk, helped fugitive slaves to freedom in the northern United States and in Canada. Since then, the longtime activist has helped found Restore Cleveland Hope, a UGRR education center that will be located in the last remaining house in Cleveland with any connection to the UGRR. We wanted to know how Southgate decided to make this journey, as well as a second one in May. She told her story to her daughter, novelist Martha Southgate.

-Syracuse Magazine Fall /Winter 2009

Underground Railroad Freedom Festival

David Blackburn, of the University of Buffalo invited me to speak at their Underground Railroad Freedom Festival.

I asked our friend Carmen Magri to drive up and we had a great time at the festival and surrounding Underground Railroad sites in Niagra Falls. Since Niagra Falls is close to my home town, Syracuse NY where my sister Letitia Lives, I asked if she would come along. She and her best friend Marilyn Solomon met us up near Niagra. My family has a long history with the school. My father, brother, sister and I attended Syracuse University.

Carmen's shop is Venetian Merchant Foods.

Red T shirt contest

The next 15 people who purchase a red IN THEIR PATH 2009! T shirt for $10 will receive a free Restore Cleveland Hope DVD.

Just email us at info@restoreclevelandhope.org Be sure to include your mailing address so we know where to send your T shirt and DVD. Include the size you would like as well. You may pay for your T Shirt By Regular Mail or using pay pal on our website.

My Next 5 friends who send me an invite on Face Book win a Free DVD. Send me your invite right now!! Winners will be listed on my Blog.

Wayward Blogger

Hi everyone,

I admit I am such a wayward blogger. So at my daughter's gentle nudge here is an entry. I will do better I promise.

Can you believe that I am walking again? After I finished my walk in 2003 we founded Restore Cleveland Hope, saved Cozad-Bates House. Now we are going to develop an Underground Railroad Education and Resource center. If you have not seen my newsletter sign up here!

Get your "In Their Path 2009" T-shirt

In Their Path 2009! T-shirts, the bright red ones you see in the accompanying photograph, are available in small, medium, large and extra large. Just send a check made out to Restore Cleveland Hope for $10 each to Restore Cleveland Hope, 9606 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44106, include your mailing address and size requested, and we will mail it/them to you. Or you can visit the Restore Cleveland Hope website to find out how to get your shirt for only $5.

May 30

May 30, 2009. What a parade. What a celebration. It was way beyond wonderful. So the walking has ended but the joy continues; when am I going to stop grinning? I am so grateful for all of the hard work, creativity and love given by so many. It was truly a gathering of the Beloved Community. The Beloved Community marching down inner city East 105th Street. All of us Freedom Seekers headed straight to our beloved 'safe house.'

Saturday when I walked into the Bratenahl Village Park and saw so many friends, so many bright-red-In Their Path 2009! T shirts, it was literally breath taking. Time disappeared; I have no idea how long it took us to get from Bratenahl to Cozad-Bates. I just remember floating along with neighbors, friends, board members, my children and grandchildren. My big strong beautiful niece, Gianna and her wife (…that was shrieking exciting because I thought Gianna and Lauren had to work and so I did not know they had driven in from Syracuse.)
My good , great friend, Stephen Kahnert in from Chicago. Andrew Allen came from Cincinnati. Andrew joined me the first week of the 2002 walk and walked all the way to Cleveland. A huge group (20 or more) Gilmour Academy students. The Holy Rosary Montessori Girl Scout troop. Mustafa Griffin and student from C.A.S.T.L.E. charter school. And I should not have named anyone because, I of course, cannot name everyone, and I really, really want to.

My ‘papparazzi’ friends Adrienne Brockway or Kim Yanoshik running, kneeling, jumping to get just the right angle. My son Robert, holding the video camera professionally steady, asking reporter style questions to capture the moment. Lovely Margaret Bernstein.

The beloved Restore Cleveland Hope board members. Bookwomen book club members. Euclid Avenue Congregational pastor Terri and my church-family members. Ndeda Letson, there since dawn. And on and on and on. You should have been there to soak it all in. This is the Beloved Community. WOW

Through Wade Oval Sista Jewel’s young African dance group swirled our way down the street and onto the Cozad-Bate’s lawn. And there below the bright, blue sun-shiny-sky, we had cool clear, water and refreshing triangles of sweet watermelon.

Then the wonderful program participants: Ismail Douglas, Sally Tatnall, Chris Ronayne, Deborah Van Kleef, Kevin Conwell, Shari Cloud, Mittie Jordan, Chris Begay, with the folks on the lawn singing and clapping and praying and cheering along. THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!

The end of the In Their Path 2009! walk. What a gathering. What a wonderful day.

Date: May 28 2009

Weather: Sunny and warm this morning and not to hot. It has been raining almost every afternoon since I have been close to home.
Where I walked today: Real close now I walked in Willoughby, Willowick, I am almost through Wickliffe.
The ”Safe house” where I stayed: When I left George’s in Austinburg. May 19th to May 21st then home for Dr. Sakina Rose’s http://www.ocpm.edu/ graduation then back in Austinburg May 23rd and 24th. Lisa Link and Family Monday 5/25 then her sister Alynn & Rhea Mahle House in mentor http://www.city-data.com/picfilesv/picv11790.php Tuesday and Wednesday 5/26 and 5/27 (Gee My head is spinning just looking at it written out like that.)

Who walked with me: My son Dan was my driver 5/27 the day before was Jason Reed who teaches and works with young men at St Ignatius High. http://www.ignatius.edu/ Jason was such a wonderful and attentive driver. It was as if he was raised in a different era: Such door holding and holding my arm as I stepped out of the car, going to get the car after we had lunch. What a guy! We were quite a crowd today Khadijah Muhammed, Gloria Fearon, Sakina Rose, Jamal Houble, Son Robert and Daughter Teci www.linkedin.com/in/lbaldwin Her kids Helena and Alex. Thursday 5/28/09

One thing I really want you to know: All four of my grown children Martha, Robert, Letitia and Dan will be in attendance for the big celebration on May 30th. Here is a prayer to the weather gods to let it be sunny for a few hours this Saturday. Martha www.Marthasouthgate.com Made a comment on my blog http://joansouthgate.blogspot.com/ How exciting. She told me about a website to look up when I get home. http://www.thedefendersonline.org/ sounds like it right up my alley.