Last week, U.S. Senators Sherrod Brown (D-OH) and Rob Portman (R-OH) and U.S. Representatives Joyce Beatty (OH-3) and Brad Wenstrup (OH-2) introduced legislation to begin the process of incorporating the John P. Parker House, an important stop on the Underground Railroad, into the National Park System. The Parker House is in Ripley, Ohio.
“The John P. Parker Board is excited. We have been working a long time on this effort to become a unit of the National Park Service. This is one step closer to that goal. It takes a long time for bills to go to the committee and then come back to the floor for a vote, but we are one step closer,” said John P. Parker Historical Society President Carol Stivers.
“In addition to being a successful businessman, John P. Parker was a champion in the abolitionist movement,” said Senator Brown. “As a former enslaved African American, he risked his life to help others secure their freedom. Adding this home into the National Park System is an appropriate honor for this heroic, selfless, and trailblazing American. John. P. Parker is an example of the best of Ohio.”
“John P. Parker is an American hero. He was an inventor, entrepreneur, abolitionist, and a former slave who risked his life to help hundreds of others gain freedom through the underground railroad,” said Senator Portman. “To honor and help to preserve his legacy, I am proud to introduce this bipartisan legislation, which will authorize a special resource study of his home in Ripley, Ohio — the next step in making it a unit of the National Park System. May other Americans be inspired by his courage, ingenuity, and selflessness.”
“After securing his freedom, John Parker played an instrumental role in the abolitionist movement. His house, located in our very own Ripley, Ohio, was crucial in shepherding enslaved people to their freedom on the Underground Railroad. Ensuring his home – and his story – are properly preserved is a fitting way to honor his legacy and teach younger generations about his dedication to freedom,” said Rep. Wenstrup. “John Parker’s heroic deeds helped our nation, as the song American the beautiful sings, ‘mend our every flaw,’ which why I’m proud to join in the bipartisan, bicameral effort.”
John P. Parker was born into slavery in 1827. Initially living in Norfolk, Virginia, Parker was bought and sold multiple times before securing his freedom in 1845. Following his liberation, Parker moved to Cincinnati and ultimately settled in the Village of Ripley, Ohio, located in Brown County. Parker went on to own and operate a successful metal foundry, becoming one of the first African Americans to receive patents for his inventions.
In addition to his successful business, Parker became an active member of the Underground Railroad. Historical records attribute Parker with helping secure the freedom of hundreds of enslaved African Americans through the Underground Railroad. Parker worked with abolitionist John Rankin, and together they supported a robust abolitionist movement on the Ohio River. The John P. Parker home is located on North Front Street in Ripley and has operated under the John P. Parker Historical Society since 1996.
The legislation, introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by Reps. Brad Wenstrup and Joyce Beatty would require the National Park Service to conduct a special resource study to help determine the feasibility of the Parker house being added to the National Park System.