The Underground Railroad
What is the Underground Railroad?
The Underground Railroad was a complex, secret network of people and safe houses. It was not a real railroad. It was used as a series of trails to freedom for enslaved people in the southern United States. These routes led them to the northern United States or to Upper Canada.
​​
The 1793 Act to Limit Slavery stated that any enslaved person would become free upon arriving in Upper Canada. This encouraged people to immigrate north for a better life. These enslaved people are known as Freedom-seekers.
​
The Underground Railroad started around the 1790s in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It didn’t take long before it was a well-organized network.
​
The term Underground Railroad was starting to be used in the 1830s. The railroad was made up of abolitionists from any background: free Black people, fellow enslaved people, Quakers, Methodists, Baptists, White and Indigenous sympathizers.
Courtesy: National Geographic Society.
​Most of the journey would have been on foot. Often travelling at night following the North Star and resting during the day. But many would also be transported in wagons, carriages, horseback, and boats.
Code Words
​
The Underground Railroad used code words throughout its routes. The following were common code words:
​
-
“Conductors” – Individuals that guided the enslaved people to freedom.
-
“Passengers” – Also known as “cargo”, “fleece”, or “freight”. The enslaved people travelling the Underground Railroad.
-
“Stations” – Also known as “depots” or “safe houses”. They were shelter for the enslaved people.
-
“Terminals” – Cities and towns that Stations were located in.
-
“Stationmasters” – The people who opened their homes, barns, churches along the route.
-
“Ticket Agents” – People who created safe trips and made travel arrangements.
-
“Stockholders” – People who donated money and/or supplies to aid the journey.
-
“Tracks” or “Lines” – The routes to Canada or Northern States set by abolitionists.
-
“The Promised Land” – Canada or the Northern States.
Freedom-seekers, free Black people and the descendants of Black Loyalists settled across what is now Canada. During the last decades of enslavement, it is believed around 30,000 to 40,000 freedom seekers entered into what is now Ontario and Quebec. In 1865, the United States banned enslavement.
Courtesy: Archives of Ontario
This one-page letter from 1854 was written by Tom Elice (Ellis), a runaway slave from Kentucky. In this letter, he writes to Mary Warner and talks about life in his new country. It is believed that Ellis was able to travel to Chatham, Ontario via the Underground Railroad.
(Please note that the transcription reflects the original spelling and grammar of the letter.) Chatum Canada West July the 9 1854 Dear Mary I now take this opertunity to informe you that I am well at present and hope theas few lines will finde you [text obscured] and the reste are also well the girls hav joind the Meathedist Church and Al has got marid to Mrs Hopday I hav saw the moste of the folks from our parte of the Cuntry and I think it is one of the best cuntry I eve wos in thare is lots of culord peaple hear and a coming every day more or les O Dear Mary how I should like to see you I would giv all of the world to see you and I would com but I cant be a slave agane tell my master that I should like to see him and mistress and all the reste of the folks but give me my liberty before all the world giv my beste respects to all inquirrings freinds but giv my lov all to your self wright to me to Windsor C. West and let me no how all of the folks are agitting along I remane your truly til Death so may god bles you Dearist this is from your Tom Elice to Mary Warner
Biographies
William Still
1821-1902
William Still was a Black Stationmaster in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He was also a businessman, writer, historian, and civil rights activist. He taught himself to read and write. Not only did he assist freedom seekers on their journey, but he also documented their accounts. Recording the names of every enslaved person and their journeys. “The Underground Railroad Records” published in 1872, is the only first-person account of journeys using the routes. Written and self-published by an African American. Upon his death in 1902, he was nicknamed the Father of the Underground Railroad.
Courtesy: Wikimedia Commons
.jpg)
Harriet Tubman
ca.1820-1913
Harriet Tubman is one of the most famous conductors of the Underground Railroad. Tubman herself escaped enslavement in Maryland when her owner died. She fled north and made her way through Philadelphia with the help of Quakers. In 1850, a year after her own journey to freedom, she had raised enough funds to for her first journey as a conductor. She guided her niece, Kessiah and her two daughters back through to Philadelphia. Tubman often used William Still’s station when guiding her passengers to safety.
Courtesy: Wikimedia Commons
Courtesy: Wikimedia Commons
Josiah Henson
1789-1883
Josiah Henson was born into slavery in Maryland. Henson tried to buy his freedom in 1825. His owner had no intention to give Henson his freedom. Four years later, in 1829, Henson, his wife and their 4 children were brought to New Orleans, Louisiana to be sold. His family fled to Upper Canada in the Niagara Peninsula. His family would settle near Dresden Community and help create a community known as Dawn. Henson believed free people would need an education and skills to become self-sufficient. The community of Dawn created a school to do that. Henson would write an autobiography The Life of Josiah Henson, Formerly a Slave, Now an Inhabitant of Canada (1849). The book raised funds for the Dawn Settlement.
The North Star
It was safer to travel on Underground Railroad by night. One way to find their way through the darkness was by following the stars. More specifically, by following the North Star.
If you would like to find out how to locate the North Star just like many individuals did in the Underground Railroad, try out our “North Star” activity!
Courtesy: Shutter Stock
Further Readings
​
If you are interested in learning more about the Underground Railroad, please visit the links below: