Step into the history of Mariners’ Church, where tunnels discovered during its 1955 relocation revealed the site’s courageous role as a final stop on the Underground Railroad. Johanna Yarbrough and Kenneth Thompkins lead a powerful musical narrative of migration, resistance, and liberation by weaving together a program of spirituals and contemporary works.
About Mariners’ Church
in 1955, construction workers discovered tunnels under Mariners’ Church’s original location before relocating the church to where it currently stands 880 feet east. The church’s original location is now part of Hart Plaza, so underground railroad tunnels are no longer underneath the current building, but Detroit’s Riverwalk features the International Memorial to the Underground Railroad, commemorating Detroit’s important role in the route to freedom. During the concert, Rev. Todd Meyer of Mariners’ Church will speak more about the church’s history.