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What Was the Underground Railroad?

© John L. Hoh, Jr.

Welcome to a new Suite 101 topic-the Underground Railroad!

But what was the Underground Railroad? To those outside of the United States of America or with a scant knowledge or memory of American history, you might think this is a topic about subways, which would seem to be railroads found underground. Is it possible one could type in "underground" and "railroad" looking for information on subways and come to this topic? Well, if that's the case, I welcome you anyway. Hopefully you'll find this topic worthwhile.

The Underground Railroad was part of a dark period in American history when people of African descent were held in forced bondage to perform labor on mainly large plantations (although some smaller farmers in the South did have a few slaves). As with any involuntary action, there is a reaction. A reaction to slavery was to run away and escape from bondage. But escaping and getting to freedom, especially to one who does not know the terrain or how to get to a place for freedom, can be daunting. Fortunately, people around the country felt obliged to help out and thus the Underground Railroad was born.

The Underground part comes from the illicit nature of these migrations. Fugitive Slave Laws were passed with increasing frequency and more direr consequences as the Abolitionist movement gained momentum. While many state and local governments and lawmen in the North ignored these laws, bounty hunters hired by Southern plantation owners roamed the country seeking to find fugitive slaves and earn the bounty. Captured slaves often lost limbs, usually feet, to prevent future escapes. Whites assisting, if caught, normally weren't punished as severe. Not that there weren't examples made. Captain Jonathan Walker was branded with a double "S" on the right hand when he was captured with seven runaway slaves. The double "S" stood for "slave stealer;" John Greenleaf Whittier immortalized that hand in his poem "The Branded Hand" and asserted: "May it proudly proclaim/salvation to the slave."

It is estimated that between 40,000 to 100,000 slaves escaped on the Underground Railroad between 1830 and 1865.

This movement used terms that were part and parcel of the actual railroads of the time. The terms are:
Lines: The routes from safe-house to safe-house.
Stations: Stopping places along the lines.
Conductors: Those who aided the fugitives.
Packages, Freight: What the fugitive slaves were called. While the terms seem impersonal, they were intended to keep the operations as clandestine as possible.

Several factors lead to the spotty recording of the history of this movement: