DRESDEN, Ontario, Aug. 13 /PRNewswire/ -- U-Haul today announced the release of 1,700 new 10-foot moving vans that showcase the Underground Railroad. Recognized today as one of the first civil rights movements, the Underground Railroad, with its loose association of people, places and things, helped more than 100,000 fugitives during their journey to freedom. Join us as we commemorate and honor the Underground Railroad at Uncle Tom's Cabin Historic Site.

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20090622/LA34860LOGO-b)

A photo accompanying this release is available at:

http://www.uhaul.com/about/pr_images.aspx?name=OntarioSuperGraphic

At 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, August 22, 2009, U-Haul will officially unveil the Ontario SuperGraphic as its "Venture Across Canada" Campaign visits Uncle Tom's Cabin Historic Site in Dresden, Ontario. Guests will have the opportunity to watch actor/playwright Leslie McCurdy perform an excerpt from "The Spirit of Harriet Tubman," hear from local dignitaries, receive free tours of Uncle Tom's Cabin Historic Site and enjoy refreshments. The first 500 guests visiting the U-Haul exhibit also will receive a free U-Haul commemorative T-shirt and informational booklet.

Abolishing slavery decades earlier than the U.S., Canada became a haven for enslaved people seeking freedom. "Conductors" such as the Reverend Josiah Henson and Harriet Tubman assisted many aboard the Underground Railroad, and more than 40,000 fugitives made it to Canada, the Promised Land. In Canada, those who were formerly enslaved could vote, own land, serve on juries and go to public schools and college. And though it did not come easy, African-Americans in Canada did have the same rights as white immigrants.

"We are thrilled to partner with Uncle Tom's Cabin Historic Site to acknowledge and honor the Underground Railroad," stated Jake Spelic, president, U-Haul Company of Eastern Ontario. "Uncle Tom's Cabin Historic Site is an important Canadian historical site that showcases Reverend Henson, all of his efforts as an abolitionist and conductor for the Underground Railroad, and also the lives of many fugitive slaves who found freedom in the Dresden area. This newest SuperGraphic, showcasing the Underground Railroad, will be seen by many as it travels across North America on the sides of 1,700 U-Haul moving vans."

"Ontario's connection to the Underground Railroad story is full of stories of hope and courage, acts of bravery and fascinating legacies left behind by these early pioneers," noted Steven Cook, site manager and curator of Uncle Tom's Cabin Historic Site. "Over time, some 40,000 freedom-seekers made it to Ontario via the Underground Railroad.