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National Abolition Hall of Fame and Museum facts for kids

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Smithfield Presbyterian Church
Smithfield Presbyterian Church Peterboro NY Jul 10.jpg
Smithfield Presbyterian Church, July 2010
National Abolition Hall of Fame and Museum is located in New York
National Abolition Hall of Fame and Museum
Location in New York
National Abolition Hall of Fame and Museum is located in the United States
National Abolition Hall of Fame and Museum
Location in the United States
Location Pleasant Valley Rd. between Elizabeth and Park Sts., Peterboro, New York
Area less than one acre
Built 1820
Architectural style Italianate, Federal
NRHP reference No. 94001370
Added to NRHP December 12, 1994

The National Abolition Hall of Fame and Museum is a special place in Peterboro, New York. It honors brave Americans called abolitionists. These people worked hard to end slavery and fight for equal rights for everyone. The museum shares their stories and shows how their fight against racism continues to inspire us today.

The Museum's Home

The museum is located at 5255 Pleasant Valley Road in Peterboro, New York. You can find it on the second floor of a historic Presbyterian church building. This church was built way back in 1820. In 1994, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This means it's an important building recognized for its history.

Even though it stopped being a church in 1870, the building has been used for many things. It was once the Evans Academy, then the Peterboro Union School, and later the Peterboro Elementary School. Today, the first floor holds the Town Hall for the Town of Smithfield.

A Historic Meeting Place

This museum building is very important because of an event that happened in 1835. The first meeting of the New York State Anti-Slavery Society took place here. The original meeting was planned for Utica, but people who supported slavery protested and stopped it.

Gerrit Smith, a famous social reformer, suggested Peterboro, New York, as a new location. About 1,000 people attended this meeting. It was called "the largest convention ever assembled in that State for any purpose whatever." This shows how many people cared about ending slavery.

Honoring Abolitionists

Harriet Tubman, in the National Abolition Hall of Fame and Museum
Harriet Tubman in the National Abolition Hall of Fame and Museum, Peterboro, NY

The National Abolition Hall of Fame honors people who made a big difference in the fight against slavery. Here are some of the important people who have been recognized:

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