A Bench by the Road
There is no place you or I can go, to think about or not think about, to summon the presences of, or recollect the absences of slaves; nothing that reminds us of the ones who made the journey and of those who did not make it. There is no suitable memorial, or plaque, or wreath, or wall, or park, or skyscraper lobby. There's no three hundred-foot tower, there's no small bench by the road. — Toni Morrison, 1989
The Bench by the Road Project was launched by the Toni Morrison Society in honor of Nobel Laureate Toni Morrison. This Bench is placed in memory of Cynthia Hesdra, an African American woman who was enslaved early in her life and after gaining her freedom became a successful entrepreneur, land owner, and Underground Railroad Conductor. She lived in the Village of Nyack, New York, during the mid-to-late nineteenth century. Hesdra, born in Tappan, New York, acquired her wealth through her thriving laundry trade and purchased a number of properties in both New York City and Nyack. She and her husband Edward opened their house to countless fugitive slaves who made their journey north along the Hudson River. This memorial honors Cynthia Hesdra's personal fortitude, entrepreneurial vision, and her compassionate commitment to freedom. May 18, 2015
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