A follow up to yesterday’s post about Thomas Downing, the free black owner of an upscale oyster house in New York’s financial district prior to the Civil War. While serving New York City’s white financial and political elite upstairs, Downing also ran an Underground Railroad station in his restaurant’s basement, helping runaways escape from slavery. Here is a song by Bob Wright and Harbortown about Downing’s duel enterprises —  Downing’s Oyster Bar.