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Underground Railroad history discovered at Emmarts United Methodist Church in Baltimore County

By
Janay Reece
Janay Reece
Janay Reece came back home to Baltimore to join WJZ in August 2023. Before coming back to the Charm City, Janay was a morning anchor and reporter for WDBJ7 in Roanoke, VA. She joined the WDBJ7 morning team after spending a year as a multimedia journalist in the New River Valley for the station.
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Janay Reece

/ CBS Baltimore

BALTIMORE -- A Baltimore County community is kicking off Black History Month by hosting a commemorative walk and paying a "tribute to the past."

On Saturday morning, close to 200 leaders and community members walked down Dogwood and Rolling Roads to Emmarts United Methodist Church in Windsor Mill.

They walked to honor and recognize the church as a space where enslaved people found refuge on their journey to freedom.

 After finding artifacts inside the church, members discovered it was a safehouse stop on the Underground Railroad.

During the walk, the community got a chance to step inside the church and learn about its historic past.

In addition to the walk, stories of the church's history, dances, and songs were shared, commemorating its significance to Baltimore County. 

Organizers also explained that the walk is part of a bigger effort to preserve Emmarts and the stories of the enslaved people it helped. 

Congressman Kweisi Mfume served as the keynote speaker of the walk. Several county and state leaders also participated in the program, presenting the church with multiple citations to recognize its historical significance in Baltimore County. 

"This is what the Emmarts did, Caleb and Susanna Emmarts. They were agents of the Underground Railroad," said Maryland Senator Chris Van Hollen.

Ahead of the walk, WJZ's Janay Reece was invited inside for a first look at the artifacts church members have preserved throughout the years. 

Historians, the church's pastor, and many others told WJZ they are working to save the church's history and its future. 

© 2025 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.

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