The Underground Railroad Living Museum program is designed to assist in capturing the full story of the Underground Railroad (UGRR) for researchers, educators, nonprofit organizations, and their constituencies. It seeks to provide valuable primary and secondary resources that will inform these local and national constituents who are focused on sustaining the national legacy of the Underground Railroad. It will accomplish this goal through the establishment of an electronic and physical communications system that will be managed by the First Congregational Church (FCC) of Detroit Living Museum.

In accordance with a Special Resource Study conducted by the National Park Service (NPS), "The Underground Railroad story is nationally significant," and although, "a few elements of the story are represented in existing NPS units and other sites, many important resources types are not adequately represented and protected." The Study goes on to say, "A variety of partnership approaches would be most appropriate for the protection and interpretation of the UGRR. These partnerships could include the federal, state, and local governments, along with a variety of private sector involvement." http://www.nps.gov/undergroundrrugsum.htm.

Capturing and relating the story of the Underground Railroad is important not only because of its impact on those of African American descent, it also is so inextricably woven into the warp and woof of the entire fabric of American culture that its effects are no less than global. Because "the story of the Underground Railroad involves a myriad of people, places, and events, capturing the full story has been a challenge for researchers and educators". However, despite the daunting initial appearance of the task, the following quote produces hope:

Although there is a great deal that we will never understand about the Underground Railroad, and although those involved in the effort were not always interested in leaving written evidence of their activities, they could not escape leaving footprints of their existence and activities in all kinds of ways. Researchers of the Underground Railroad thus have access to a rich "toolbox" of primary and secondary resources that can help them learn about and interpret the Underground Railroad as a theme in American history.

This program seeks to utilize the tools within this rich "toolbox" of resources to construct a network that will assist in making available for use this exciting construction of events and experiences from America's history known as the UGRR. With these tools, the program will build a system of "grassroots" communities, connected with electronic and physical communication. These "Freedom Communities" will be groups of people living and working together to personify the spirit of all that was brave and good in this country's legacy of the UGRR: an exemplary model of race relations in its display of courage and love in the quest for the civil and human rights. The focus will not be solely on disseminating the legacy, but emulating the legacy as well.