On July 9, 2003, Joan Southgate invited six women to her home (Ginger Mook, Nishani Frazier, Binnie Eiger, Binne’ Douglas, Nicki Gudbranson and Fran Stewart) to discuss saving the historic Cozad-Bates House. Five weeks later, twenty three people attended their first community meeting at Western Reserve Historical Society and in tribute to Cleveland’s Underground Railroad code name ‘Hope’ our newly formed grassroots organization took the name Restore Cleveland Hope. Speaking in churches, synagogues, schools, universities, ward meetings, neighborhood clubs, service organizations and city councils, Ms. Southgate brought attention to Cleveland and Ohio’s antislavery history and championed the mission of Restore Cleveland Hope. Our organization, now a 501c3 non- profit, has successfully campaigned to save the only pre-civil war home still standing in University Circle and will establish an Underground Railroad Education and Resource Center in the Cozad-Bates House located at 11508 Mayfield Rd.
To learn more and get involved, please visit: restoreclevelandhope.com/
