>> A state task force is releasing its findings this week on the important role, Illinois's plate in the history of the Underground Railroad.

The group estimates as many as 7,000 people traveled through Illinois to escape slavery.

Members of the task there could be at least 200 sites in Illinois that are part of that history and are not proposing a commission to organize the site's research them and work to preserve the history.

>> Across the country, some are tirelessly trying to prevent people from learning about our country's history of racism as well as fearless preservation of black Americans who fought to escape slavery through the Underground railroad.

That's why today I'm more proud than ever that Illinois's commitment to the shining light on our past.

Both good and bad parts and to celebrate our ancestors, commitment to fighting justice and freedom.

>> Illinois's role in the Underground Railroad is not well known or market.

There may be more than 200 sites that can be identified with the journeys of freedom seekers and the work of the Underground railroad in Illinois.

Most of these have not been fully identified and only relatively small numbers have been deeply researched.

>> Many in Illinois believe we need to travel to the East Coast to visit locations on the Underground railroad, unaware of the enormous activity that took place in their own backyards here in Illinois.

This talks about the story of these countless unknown unrecognized, underappreciated individuals that offered up their home to complete strangers at great risk to themselves and then those individuals as well that were brave enough to make this treacherous run to freedom with that.

The hope and dream that someday their lives would be better.

Those stories need to be shared.

There is an absolutely remarkable set of sites from historic houses, too.

>> Identify trails to store houses, all kinds of places where various people have found the evidence that that's where freedom seekers found some kind of assistance and the power of the commission to enable us to connect all those dots.

But all those places together.

>> And test task force members say they are unsure about what a network of sites would look