Actress Amirah Vann on the Emotional Drama of 'Underground'

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Against the backdrop of the 1857 landmark Supreme Court decision on Dred Scott, slaves from the south were using a complex system of secret travel and safe houses known as the Underground Railroad to escape to freedom.  

The critically acclaimed WGN America series "Underground" has fictionalized this history through the story of The Macon Seven, a group of enslaved African Americans who risked a 600 mile journey from Georgia to the north. The series, which was just picked up for a second season, has been called this generation's "Roots," and plays on themes and controversies that still resonate today.  

Actress Amirah Vann plays the role of "Ernestine," a matriarch enslaved in her master's house who goes to great lengths to protect her children. She says she was initially apprehensive about reliving such an intense time in history, but the story, she says, has been transformative for the viewers and the entire cast.  

The season finale of Underground airs tonight on WGN America. 

Amirah Vann in the studio with John Hockenberry

(Dana Roberson/The Takeaway)