The Sweep Project is a performance-pilgrimage artwork that highlights the history of the Underground Railroad in Will County, Illinois, and challenges us to consider both our relationship to that history and our role in building a more just and equitable society today.
This is a short documentary of the project made by my good friend, Joonhee Park.
Check out more news from the trail at the Joliet to Crete Pilgrimage Blog
Check out more news from the trail at the Joliet to Crete Pilgrimage Blog
Why Will County?First, because Will County has a very rich history with the Underground Railroad, although this is not really well known. The combination of location, geography, and abolitionist activity made it a kind of funnel for Freedom Seekers coming East from Missouri and North from Kentucky. It could easily be described as the hub of Underground Railroad activity in the "Land of Lincoln."
Secondly, because the county itself is going through transition. A county that used to mainly farmland is rapidly becoming wealthy suburbs. The Will County Center for Economic Development recently reported that it was the fastest growing county in the United States. This growth does not come without tension, however. Inner-city Joliet, which is home to a largely African-American population, supplies the workforce that fuels the growing industrial complex. Many of the jobs available are temporary and offer no benefits. The local high school has one of the lowest average test scores in the greater Chicagoland area. Less than 10 miles down the road from that school, in a new, affluent and predominantly white suburb, sits one of the best scoring high schools in the Chicagoland area. The road that connects these two schools, ironically, is The Lincoln Highway. The Lincoln Highway in that area also runs parallel to Hickory Creek, a suspected Underground Railroad route. In many ways the history and the present of Will County does not make it unique. In fact, it is really a microcosm of both the racial and financial pressures American society faces at large, and has always faced. As I explore this space I hope to connect and understand that tension more physically, not just intellectually. I also share this knowledge with residents who stop me to ask what I am doing, and through a series of prints I am making which highlight the known and suspected "stops" and "routes" as they are found today. |
Interacting with ResidentsOne of the great joys of doing this project is having people stop me to ask what I am doing. It takes a pretty brave soul to stop a complete stranger who is sweeping for no apparent reason!
These conversations give me a chance to talk about the history of the Underground Railroad directly with residents of the county. I am always amazed at what happens: when I tell them a story, they inevitably tell me one in return! They often talk about a connection they have to the Underground Railroad, or some other connection they have to the land.
As I have continued this project these connections have become increasingly important to me. I am always looking for ways to invite more people to interact with me while I work. Working without a photographer, for example, makes me more approachable, which is why I am now self-documenting the project with a video diary. |
Buy a Print, Support the Project
The Sweep Project Store has one-of-a-kind documentary cyanotype prints for sale. Each print features a historical Underground Railroad site and as well as objects collected from that site. I carry small prints with me as I work on the project to give as gifts to residents who stop and ask me about the project. Prints are also for sale here at the store. Buying prints is a great way to support the project and keep it going. It is my primary way to raise funds for the project. If you'd like to help, P PLEASE VISIT THE SWEEP PROJECT STORE If you'd like more information on other ways to participate or support this project, please contact me. |