Sweet Chariot Program Explores and Educates About the Underground Railroad

Sweet Chariot is an @Home program that takes place during Black History Month.

The journey begins 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 20, at two starting locations: Brough Dining Center Lobby and the Center for Multicultural and Diversity Education lobby in the Arkansas Union.

This University Housing program has been a tradition for Gibson Hall since 2003, when it won the National Association of College and University Residence Hall's Program of the Year.

The purpose of Sweet Chariot is to take participants on an educational simulation of an enslaved person's journey to freedom, so students can have a better understanding of the historical perspective of enslaved African Americans and their descendants.

Students can begin their journey in either location in groups of four or five students. These groups will be led by a "conductor," a term used to describe anti-slavery activists who led enslaved people through pathways to escape to the north.

Along their journey, students will learn about the hidden meanings behind songs, quilts and constellations that were used as guides to people who were enslaved who, by law, were illiterate.

Students will be led to the "station," which were safe locations to hide, on campus, which they must find with the help of their conductor.

What they discover at the station is a mystery that only participants of the program will know.

Come along the journey to see what awaits.

Students may feel uncomfortable during the program and will have the opportunity to meet with professional staff members to discuss feelings and perspectives after the event.

University Housing aims to provide only a glimpse of the Underground Railroad and American history to lay a foundation to students to encourage further growth and learning outside of the traditional classroom.

The simulation is in no way intended to replicate or trivialize the pain, suffering and trauma of enslaved African Americans or their descendants.

About @Home: Sweet Chariot is an academic success component of University Housing's @Home series. The @Home series consists of 12 signature events during the 2017-2018 academic year that focus on promoting academic success, personal development and diversity education.

About University Housing. University Housing provides residential communities for about 5,700 on-campus students. More than 200 students find employment opportunities with University Housing each year. We offer educational programs that support the success of students and services that help students focus on academics at the University of Arkansas. Living on campus starts with a housing contract.