Underground%20Railroad

1
Underground Railroad

• History 115
• African American History
• Slavery begins to come undone

2
Underground Railroad

• From the beginning of class, the theme has been
  and remains to thwart evil good people must act.
• Regardless of indenture of slavery, people have
  sought to free themselves.
• We now see a concerted effort to thwart the slave
  owners.

3
Underground Railroad and Abolition

• As we have already seen, some good people did
  step up and voice concerns and outrage at the
  system.
• The Quakers, Mennonites, and German Dunkers were
  early prominent voices espousing emancipation.
• These were the first groups to actually organize
  and begin a process that would become the
  frontrunner to the abolition movement

4
Road to Abolition

• Quakers urged members to emancipate their slaves.
• Could be ex-communicated
• Teach slaves to become literate and work for
  their own labor
• By 1782, Quakers had dedicated their lives to
  abolition of slavery.

5
Road to Abolition

• 1st abolition society organized in Philadelphia
  1775
• The society made Benjamin Franklin President.
• The aims of the first society
• Make public aware with speeches, essays and
  pamphlets
• Petition courts for more humane laws
• Aid and assist blacks to assimilate and become
  productive members of society.

6
Peaceful Alternatives for Abolition

• In the beginning, the Abolition societies tried
  to convince slave owners to allow slaves to work
  one per week for their own laborthis would allow
  them to save money to purchase their freedom.
• Another option offered to end slavery peaceably,
  was to sell the slaves to the West Indies
• There was also the colonizing option being
  bantered around.

7
Peaceful Alternatives Contd

• Compensate slave owners for freeing slaves with
  western lands or money
• Establish a law that slaves must be freed by the
  age of 21
• Make them literatemore productive to society
• Boycott all plantation products and commodities.

8
Contd

• Because slavery, though tied to race, was always
  explained in economic terms, the Quakers conceded
  that to end slavery, the slave owners economic
  ledgers had to be hurt
• The new idea,now became abscond with their
  property depriving the slave owner of the saves
  economic value.

9
Going Underground

• The actual term Underground Railroad probably
  began sometime in the early 19th century.
• A slave owner was following closely on the heels
  of a runawayas the slave David Tice came to the
  Ohio, he had no choice but to swim for it.
• Slave owner close behind on a skiff, upon
  approaching shore he could find evidence of
  Ticemustve gone off underground

10
Underground Contd

• As the society became more organized and
  efficient, there would appear rumors that there
  was an underground railway system running
  underground all the way to Boston.
• In fact the society organized itself based on
  principles of the railroad systemusing railroad
  nomenclature, such as conductors, etc

11
Contd

• As slave codes and Laws became more harsh and
  restrictive more and more good people, White and
  Free black and ex-Slaves joined the ranks of the
  underground railroad.

12
Contd

• Once the tracks became laid and more organized,
  many people joined the ranks.
• Some were government officials, others were
  ordinary folks
• Some members were more enthusiastic and motivated
  than others
• These guys desired immediate action and results.

13
John Fairfield

• Daring and apparently did not fear death
• He possessed no compulsion to use violence to
  free slaves
• He would go into the South disguised and abscond
  with slaves
• Many times he returned with his charges with
  bullet holes in his clothes and even wounded
  several times.

14
John Brown

• A Neer do well who committed his soul and
  conscience to the abolition of slavery
• He did a great deal to ignite the Civil War
  because of his deeds at Harpers Ferry Arsenal
• He had hoped his actions would ignite an
  insurrection and lead to violent abolition.

15
Laura Haviland

• Though daring, aggressively action-oriented, The
  John Browns and John Fairfield's were the
  exception, Most conductors and members of the
  railroad were less conspicuous and more peaceful.

16
Laura Haviland

• Petite Michigan Quaker
• Spent most of her energies raising money to
  become a primary stock holder in underground
  railroad stock
• She helped ex-slaves to finance the purchasing of
  family members.

17
William McKeever

• The most active railroad worker in Pennsylvania
• Gave money, led slaves to freedom personally
• His house and property one of the mainstay depots
  or stops on the way North.

18
Levi Coffin

• Leading Early Abolitionist
• Born in NC in 1789
• As a child bought and sold produce from slaves
• Heard their stories and resolved to act
• He would be called the President of the railroad

19
Runaways and the Railroad

• Many fugitives, once free placed their freedom in
  jeopardy to become very active members of the
  railroad
• John Mason, an ex-slave slipped back into
  Kentucky many times eventually leading 265 slaves
  to freedom
• Frederick Douglass, though very active in the
  awareness phase of speaking, writing and raising
  funds, never went back South until after the war.

20
Other Runaways

• Caveatmany runaways had to stay hidden or move
  on to Canada because as the Fugitive Clause
  became more strict, many slave catchers would
  grab free blacks off the streets and re-sell them
  into slavery. Why the strong movement was so
  important.
• Ermene Cain a runaway actively worked for 45
  years covertly
• Samuel Dorsey, barber, also worked covertly in
  the network more famously was Old Naylor
  William Still and Josiah Henson.

21
Reverend Josiah Henson

• He began a Black Community to help assimilate
  ex-slaves to a free society
• Formed Tobacco Co-ops to provide economy for
  ex-slaves
• Personally made trips to secure freedom at risk
  of his own freedom
• First ex-slave to have audience with Queen
  Victoria

22
William Still

• Became executive secretary of the Philadelphia
  Anti-Slave Society
• He kept meticulous records giving us much of what
  we know now
• Wrote Book, Underground Railroad in 1872.

23
Harriet Tubman

• The most acclaimed and celebrated Railroad
  member
• Born in Maryland was subjected to a brutal
  attack by an overseer, which caused her to often
  fall into a sudden swoon or altered state of
  consciousness after her escape, she helped her
  sister and family escape.

24
Harriet Tubman

• She was a fervent and very successful
  Conductor.
• She was no none sense she carried a revolver for
  any circumstance, which one time required her to
  impress upon some slaves in her charge to keep
  going or she would shoot themfreedom was to
  important to everyone for a few to spoil it by
  complainingif she felt they were endangering the
  group. You go on or die.

25
Harriet Tubman

• No one really knows how many trips she made South
  to Conduct slaves to freedom or how many she
  actually led, some say around 300suffice it say
  it was a lot and often.
• She became to be called General Tubman and
  Moses. The higher the price on her head
  (40,000), the more times she returned to the
  South
• Sometimes lucky to get out without capture.

26
Tubman Contd

• William Still author of The Underground Railroad
  stated she was the most unassuming,
  non-pretentious, and ordinary specimen of
  humanity, to be found among the farm hands of the
  South She blended well and was seen as no
  threat to anyone
• She often disguised herself as an old Granny to
  hide her athleticism and strong gait.

27
Tubman

• She didnt just simply Conduct them to freedom,
  she saw them all the way to Canada
• At the Court House in Auburn New York there is a
  quote on her statue, On my underground railroad,
  I never run my train off the track, and I never
  lost a passenger.
• Her famous quip to new slaves when entering free
  soil, You done shook the Lions Paw. He was
  free.

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Reality of the Railroad

• Dangerous and treacherous
• Disputes about funding and financing
• Charges of corruption
• Traitors and Money Grubbers

29
Contd

• There was claims that these agents of the
  railroad were leaving the slaves destitute
  without any financial help and pocketing the
  money for themselves
• Was a direct cause of breaking up families, by
  their presence slave owners were forced to sell
  slaves deep into the interior to avoid escape
• All money raised in these abolition societies
  should be used for emancipation of all slaves,
  not just feeing some through clandestine means.

30
Contd

• Largest complaintwas accountability and the
  corruption of funds.
• Railroad workers suffered ridcule from others,
  were shouted down at meetings, their children
  were harassed many were shunned at work and in
  the community.
• Some were even asked to withdraw from their
  church membership.

31
Social Effects

• The biggest assumed cause was the Civil War
  itselfthe losses of slave property escalated the
  chances of war
• It was also argued that the railroad by aiding so
  many runaways, it eliminated any chance for
  insurrection and rebellion ending the institution
  earlier than the 1860s.
• George W. Williams, A Black scholar, argued that
  the railroad provided a safety valve to the slave
  institution. Many of the slaves prone to
  rebellion and and desiring to throw off the yoke
  of slavery just absconded North, rather than a
  Haiti type rebellion in the South.

32
Personal Cost

• Because of the harsher penalties for assisting
  fugitive slaves, many railroad workers suffered
  terrible financial hardship
• They were incarcerated had their businesses
  impounded forced to seek expensive legal
  counsel
• In other cases when an underground worker saw an
  advertisement in the paper for the sale of
  slaves, they would use their own money to buy and
  then fee the slavethis caused financial hardship

33
Physical Hardship

• Black and White railroaders alike suffered
  physical abuse, threats, and sometimes death
• Rewards were offered for the capture of railroad
  workers Thomas Garrett had 20,000 placed on his
  headTubman had 40,000 placed on her head.
• Garrett responded in the paper that he was worth
  twice that.

34
Hardship Contd

• Abolitionist Lewis Tappan barely escaped with his
  life as Slave Catchers tore down his house and
  destroyed his belongings
• He was hanged in effigy and threatened with tar
  and Feathering.
• William Lloyd Garrison, editor of the
  abolitionist paper The Liberator, also barely
  escaped an angry Pro-Slavery mob with his life on
  several ocassions..

35
Elijah Lovejoy

• The first Whiteman to die in the cause of
  Abolition, polarizing the camps
• Editor of the Observer
• More and more Whites began to put their life on
  the line for abolition
• It became a cause celebre and not just some
  local community cause.

36
Imprisonment

• Others were imprisoned such as Charles Torren.
  He was caught assisting fugitive slaves. He died
  in prison.
• Seth Concklin traveled to Alabama to rescue Peter
  Sills family. Sill a free ex-slave solicited
  assistance. Concklin rescued the family but was
  overtaken in Indiana. He was found later,
  drowned and still in chains.
• Regardless of the hazards, white and black alike
  continued to fill the ranks of the railroad.

37
Underground Railroad

• To establish a link in the railroad system, two
  factors were necessary
• 1) Geographical location
• 2) Availability of Underground workers and
  sympathizers

38
Contd

• One of the most well known and largest staging
  areas of the Underground Railroad was in New York
  City located at the 42nd St StationWe know it as
  Grand Central Station.
• The trip could take days, months, even up to a
  year.

39
Contd

• The name of the game was surreptition and
  concealmentgetting to Shake the Lions Paw Not
  in how fast it could be achieved.
• Haste makes waste.

40
Contd

• One Alabama runaway took a year to get to Ohio
• Another runaway traveled some 1200 miles before
  arriving in Pennsylvania
• Factors to a successful flight Proximity of
  slave owner and catcher, the route taken,
  Weather, mode of transportation (water, foot, or
  actual railroad).

41
Specific Routes and Modes of Escape

• Waterway was the conventional choice it was the
  fastest, but also the most guarded and watched
• Unfortunately many runaways would be recaptured
  wasting time looking for a boat, skiff, log any
  flotation device.
• Many slaves were not raised around or near water
  and could not swim, or knew nothing about
  navigation.

42
Escape Modes Contd

• Many slaves with the help of abolitionist used
  Steamboats, Roads and canals to avoid slave
  catchers.
• Levi Coffin would receive a telegram suggesting
  he go to box 72 (berth), at P.O.(dock), take
  charge of letters (fugitives), and pay postage of
  43 (stateroom) to a Mr. Peck(usually Ship
  captain)this was code.

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Betrayal

• Many times, if the Captain was offered more money
  by slave catchers, they betrayed their fugitives
  and kept both parties money
• But, Northerners were the owners of most of the
  River Boat linesplus freedom was worth it.

44
Betrayal

• Any kind or mode of absconding, the slave was
  dependent on the morality and veracity of the
  Underground workers.
• The greatest tragedy was when Free blacks (some
  ex-slaves) accepted money and bribes betraying
  the fugitives.
• Slaves were ignorant of the geography and had
  little choice but to believe when told about a
  certain routethe end could be freedom or a
  return to bondage.

45
Deception

• To aid in deception and avoid capture, the
  Railroad used secret codes and signs. They also
  used disguises and subterfuge.
• They used code numbers signifying friendly houses
  and communities10 was Philadelphia, 20 for
  Seville, Ohio, and 27 for Medina, Ohio.
• The Good Ship Zion meant rescue was soon.
• A Quilt hanging on a clothesline with an
  embroidery of a Chimney with white smoke meant
  friendly confines etc

46
Emancipation Proclamation

• Ended the need for the Underground Railroad.
• The railroad was more than a Society of high
  moral fiber, it was a belief and an act that all
  men white and black could join together in common
  cause to right a dreadful wrong.
• It was an opportunity for the bold and
  adventurous, it had the excitement of piracy,
  burglary, the daring of insurrection and the
  added triumph of snapping ones fingers in the
  face of the slave owner