The Underground Railroad
The Underground Railroad was a network of secret routes and safe houses used by freedom seeking African Americans to escape enslavement in the South.
It is estimated that as many as 100,000 Black men, women, and children escaped slavery to free states in the North or to Canada with the help of the Underground Railroad.
The history of the Underground Railroad dates back to the late 18th century when the first organized efforts were made to help enslaved people escape to freedom. It gained momentum during the 1830s and 1840s and continued until the end of the Civil War in 1865.
The Underground Railroad was not an actual railroad. It was made up of loosely-connected safe houses and secret routes, organized by brave and sympathetic people.
Those who led it were called "conductors" and they would help freedom seekers move from one safe house to another until they reached their final destination. Their goal was to always have a house or "station" within one day's walk.
Conductors had to be brave and dedicated to helping others as Fugitive Slave Laws made it illegal to help those escaping slavery.
Some of the most famous conductors of the Underground Railroad include William Still, Levi Coffin, Frederick Douglass, and Harriet Tubman.
William Still was a free-born Black man from New Jersey who served a "station master" in Philadelphia. He interviewed and kept detailed records on everyone he helped in hopes of reuniting them with family. Still came to be called the “Father of the Underground Railroad”.
Levi Coffin was one of many Quakers who assisted the Underground Railroad in Pennsylvania. A primary Quaker belief is that all human beings are equal and worthy of respect.
Frederick Douglass escaped from slavery in 1838 and went on to become the most prominent abolitionist in America. His Rochester, New York home was often the final station before Canada.
The most well-known conductor, however, is Harriet Tubman. She made at least 13 trips to the South and helped to free more than 70 people. This helped Tubman earn the name "Moses".
The Underground Railroad had a significant impact on American history. It helped to bring attention to the abolitionist cause and played a role in the start of the Civil War.
It is estimated that at least 100,000 Black men, women, and children escaped to freedom via the Underground Railroad. Many of them settled in Ontario, Canada. However, many later returned to the U.S. after the 13th Amendment finally abolished slavery.