Underground Railroad

Quick Facts: Who was Underground Railroad?

Subject:

Underground Railroad

Known for:

A secret network of routes and safe houses for fugitive slaves escaping bondage.

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2Day Chrono-Wiki & Primary Historical Archives

Origins & Early Life

The Underground Railroad was an organized network of secret routes and safe houses for fugitive slaves to escape to the abolitionist Northern United States and Eastern Canada during the era of slavery in the United States. Slaves escaped from slavery as early as the 16th century; many of their escapes were unaided. However, a network of safe houses generally known as the Underground Railroad began to organize in the 1780s among abolitionist societies in the North. It ran north and grew steadily until President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863. The escapees sought primarily to escape into free states or into Canada.

Career & Major Achievements

The Underground Railroad started at the place of enslavement. The routes followed natural and man-made modes of transportation: rivers, canals, bays, the Atlantic Coast, ferries and river crossings, roads and trails. Locations close to ports, free territories, and international boundaries prompted many escapes. The network, primarily the work of free and enslaved African Americans, was assisted by abolitionists and other individuals sympathetic to the cause of the escapees. The slaves who risked capture and those who aided them were collectively referred to as the passengers and conductors of the Railroad, respectively.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

Various other routes led to Mexico, where slavery had been abolished, and to islands in the Caribbean that were not part of the slave trade. An earlier escape route running south toward Florida, then a Spanish possession (except 1763–1783), existed from the late 17th century until approximately 1790. During the American Civil War, freedom seekers escaped to Union lines in the South to obtain their freedom. One estimate suggests that by 1850, approximately 100,000 slaves had escaped to freedom via the network. According to former professor of Pan-African studies J. Blaine Hudson, who was dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Louisville, by the end of the Civil War, 500,000 or more African Americans had self-emancipated from slavery using the Underground Railroad.

Chronological Milestones & Life Events

1. 1763: 1763 Milestone — An earlier escape route running south toward Florida, then a Spanish possession (except 1763–1783), existed from the late 17th century until approximately 1790.
2. 1850: 1850 Milestone — One estimate suggests that by 1850, approximately 100,000 slaves had escaped to freedom via the network.
3. 1863: 1863 Milestone — It ran north and grew steadily until President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863.

Notable Quotes by Underground Railroad

“The Underground Railroad was a moniker adopted by abolitionists for the entire enterprise.”

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: Underground Railroad

True or False: “The term 'Underground Railroad' was first documented in print on August 10, 1842.”

Answer (TRUE ⭕): Thomas Smallwood used the term in his 'Sam Weller' column in the Tocsin of Liberty newspaper.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

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• Alfred de Vigny — Historical peer (Died in 1863) (1863): French poet and early Romanticist, known for his plays and novels.
• Abbé Prévost — Historical peer (Died in 1763) (1763): French novelist, best known for the highly popular romance, Manon Lescaut.
• Adalbert Gyrowetz — Historical peer (Born in 1763) (1763): Czech-Austrian composer known for symphonies and string quartets.
• Adam František Kollár — Historical peer (Died in 1783) (1783): Pioneering Slovak jurist, historian, and coiner of the term ethnology.
• Agustín de Iturbide — Historical peer (Born in 1783) (1783): Mexican military officer and politician who became the first Emperor of Mexico.
• Adam Smith — Historical peer (Died in 1790) (1790): Scottish philosopher and economist, considered the father of modern capitalism.
• Alphonse de Lamartine — Historical peer (Born in 1790) (1790): French poet, author, and statesman whose career spanned revolutionary fervor and republican ideals.
• Adam Oehlenschläger — Historical peer (Died in 1850) (1850): Pioneering Danish Romantic poet and playwright who shaped national literature.
• Albert Spalding — Historical peer (Born in 1850) (1850): Pioneering baseball player, executive, and co-founder of Spalding sporting goods.

Frequently Asked Questions about Underground Railroad