Kentucky at Sunrise

Director Von Washington and Stage ManagerJean Schultz search

for props for the upcoming production, Kentucky at Sunrise.

Kentucky at Sunrise, by Dr. Von Washington, will be the featured performance at this year's International Festival. This dramatization of the Kentucky Raid, which occurred in Cass County in August of 1847, will be presented in "tableau vivant" form. Local actors, including five area pastors, will present 9 tableaus as professional storytellers describe the action. A gospel choir led by Ruth Crawley will provide the spiritual and emotional backdrop to the events.

The International Festival is free and open to the public.


This event will be held at Ross Beatty High School, 22721 Diamond Cove Rd, Cassopolis, Michigan from 1 to 5 pm on Sunday, Sept. 13, 2009. Kentucky at Sunrise will be performed at 2 pm.

Kentucky Raid Mural Project Finds New Sponsor

The Kentucky Raid Mural Project, well into its planning year thanks to funding by the Michigan Humanities Council, is now being sponsored by the Minority Coalition, a community organization located in Cassopolis, Michigan.

The Minority Coalition, a 501 c-3 organization, is excited to play a key role in the project. The group's involvement at this point reflects its early interest in Cass County's unique history including Underground Railroad activity and anti-slavery activism of area Quakers and free blacks.

The Coalition, founded in 1996, offers educational and cultural experiences to the entire community targeting minority populations. According to the group's president, Adrienne Glover, the mission of the Coalition "is to bring racial harmony to the citizens of Cass County."

Announcement of the Mural Project

WAND (Women's Action for New Directions)

in collaboration with several local partners announces the planning of an outdoor mural to commemorate the famous Kentucky Raid of 1847 in Cass County, Michigan.

In the summer of '47, Kentucky slaveowners came to Michigan to retrieve their escaped slaves. Area residents, Quakers of Young's Prairie in particular, as well as a number of free blacks, came to the defense of the freedom seekers. The result of this intense conflict was a court case in Detroit, heavy fines for the implicated Quakers, and freedom (in other parts of Michigan and in Canada) for the long-suffering fugitives.

The mural, depicting various "scenes" from the Raid, is to be located in the Village of Cassopolis, Michigan.

The planning committee has created this blog in order to encourage community interest and involvement in various phases of the planning process. We want to hear from you! Click on "comment" to add your voice to this discussion. Also, be sure to visit "The Underground Railroad in Cass County" for an overview of the network's activities in Southwest Michigan.