Slavery and Abolition Program

Author and educator Dr. Patrick Hotle brings his presentation “Slavery and Abolition on the Missouri-Illinois Border”to Canton Public Library on Tuesday, September 26 at 6:00 PM.

According to Dr. Hotle, the border between Missouri and Illinois saw a great deal of activity related to slavery and the Underground Railroad. His presentation will explore the impact of abolitionism on both sides of the border especially during the years 1831 to 1844 and how slavery and abolitionism shaped the early history of the area.

Patrick Hotle was the John Sperry Jr. Endowed Chair in Humanities at Culver-Stockton College. Before coming to Missouri, he taught in Nicaragua, Egypt, Belgium and the Netherlands. He is also the secretary of the Dr. Richard Eells House, a site on the Underground Railroad Museum. He has authored a number of books and articles on world history and is currently working on a book on abolitionism on the Missouri/Illinois border. Patrick holds an M.Phil and PhD from Queens’ College Cambridge in England.

The presentation is part of the Missouri Speaker’s Bureau program, sponsored by the Missouri Humanities Council. The talk is free and open to the public and intended for adults and teens.

The library is located at 403 Lewis Street in Canton. It is open Tuesday - Friday 9 AM to 6 PM and Saturdays 10 AM to 2 PM. Visit the library at www.cantonmopubliclibrary.org, on Facebook at Your Canton Library, or call 573-288-5279.