International Underground Railroad Month Announces North Star Day Weekend Events in Buffalo, Niagara Falls and Fort Erie

Remembering the Journey of Freedom Seekers. Carrying the Legacy Forward.

BUFFALO, N.Y. — The U.S./Canadian International Underground Railroad Month Committee will present a series of public events from September 27–30, 2026, recognizing the history of the Underground Railroad, the role of faith communities and abolitionists, and the continuing importance of education, remembrance and international cooperation.

The observances coincide closely with the 100th anniversary of the 1926 Slavery Convention, an international treaty adopted under the League of Nations in Geneva on September 25, 1926. The Convention entered into force on March 9, 1927, and committed participating states to work toward suppressing slavery and the slave trade. 

The 2026 International Underground Railroad Month closing ceremonies also comes during a landmark year for Underground Railroad preservation in New York State. In June 2026, legislation establishing the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Scenic Byway as part of New York’s scenic byways system was signed into law. The first phase encompasses approximately 176.76 miles and connects 22 sites associated with Harriet Tubman, freedom seekers and the Underground Railroad, extending from the Auburn area across Western New York to Niagara Falls

Its establishment is especially meaningful as International Underground Railroad Month gathers in Buffalo and Niagara Falls, communities located near the western end of the newly designated route and closely connected to the international story of freedom seekers travelling toward Canada.

Sunday, September 27 — North Star Day

The day begins at 11:00 a.m. with the Underground Railroad Month’s North Star Day Service at Durham Memorial A.M.E. Zion Church, 200 E. Eagle St., Buffalo, NY 14204.

The service will recognize the historic connection between churches, abolitionists and the Underground Railroad and will provide an opportunity for reflection on the faith, courage and sacrifice associated with the journey to freedom.  Proclamations will be presented to Dewitt Lee III, Chairman of The US/Canadian Underground Railroad Month Committee, by Buffalo Deputy Thomas E. Baines, Esq and Walt Koch, the Deputy District Director and Senior Caseworker for Congressman Tim Kennedy’s office. 

From 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m., young people are invited to participate in the Underground Railroad Month Jr. Conductor North Star Program at Michigan Street Baptist Church, 511 Michigan Avenue, Buffalo, NY 14203. The program is being held in partnership with Historic Michigan Street Baptist Church and is free to attend.

The Jr. Conductor program introduces young people to Underground Railroad history and the importance of the North Star as a symbol of direction, hope and freedom.

North Star Day will conclude with two special illuminations:

Niagara Falls — 10:00 p.m. to 10:15 p.m.
Niagara Falls will be illuminated in yellow and white as part of North Star Day.

Buffalo City Hall Dome — Dusk to Midnight
Buffalo City Hall will also participate in the North Star Day observance with its dome illuminated Yellow and White during the evening.

The yellow-and-white illumination theme represents the light of the North Star and its enduring place in the story and symbolism of the Underground Railroad.

Tuesday, September 29 — Peace Bridge Illumination

On September 29, the Peace Bridge connecting Buffalo, New York, and Fort Erie, Ontario, will be illuminated in yellow and white lights for International Underground Railroad Month.

The event is being presented as the historical first Peace Bridge illumination for International Underground Railroad Month.

The Peace Bridge provides a meaningful setting for the observance because the Underground Railroad was an international freedom movement whose routes crossed the U.S.–Canadian border. For many freedom seekers escaping slavery in the United States, reaching Canada represented an important stage in the pursuit of freedom.

A press conference is also being planned between the U.S./Canadian International Underground Railroad Month Committee and Erie County Clerk Michael P. “Mickey”, which will consist of an International Underground Railroad Month Proclamation presentation as well as a historical announcement of a joint effort to have NYS introduce a special Underground Railroad license plate. 

Wednesday, September 30 — Caretakers of Our Culture Rare Book Series

International Underground Railroad Month programming will continue on September 30 with the Caretakers of Our Culture Rare Book Series at the Ring of Knowledge, located on the first floor of the Buffalo & Erie County Public Library Central Library, 1 Lafayette Square, Buffalo, NY 14203.

The program will feature:

“Frederick Law Olmsted, Abolitionist?! The Cotton Kingdom”

A first edition will be placed on display, followed by a public discussion inside the Ring of Knowledge.

The program will explore abolition, slavery and historical literature while encouraging participants to examine original and rare materials as tools for understanding the history surrounding the Underground Railroad.

Remembering a Century of International Action Against Slavery

This year’s observances take place almost exactly a century after the signing of the Slavery Convention in Geneva on September 25, 1926.

The Convention defined slavery and the slave trade in international law and committed participating governments to pursue their suppression. It entered into force on March 9, 1927. OHCHR

The centennial offers an opportunity to place the Underground Railroad within a wider historical story: from individuals and communities helping freedom seekers across borders in the 19th century to international agreements seeking to address slavery through international law in the 20th century.

International Underground Railroad Month seeks to keep those histories visible while introducing new generations to the people, institutions, routes, churches and communities that participated in the struggle for freedom.

All members of the community are invited to participate in the September events.