Leslie Sloan Orr, Ph.D.

Playwriting/Illinois State University

“Goin’ Underground: The story of the Underground Railroad

I had reasoned dis out in my mind;

There was one of two things I had a right to,

Liberty or death;

If I could not have one,

I would have de other.”

-- Harriet Tubman

William Still: Father of the Underground Railroad

Levi Coffin: President of the Underground Railroad

  1. The term Underground Railroad was neither underground nor a railroad, but a secret network of safe houses and antislavery activists – black, white and Native American – who helped slaves escape to freedom. Every home that welcomed runaways and every individual who offered food, clothing or other assistance could be considered part of the railroad. Though never formally organized, tens of thousands of slaves, aided by more than 3,200 railroad “workers,” escaped to the northern states, Canada, Texas, Mexico, and through Florida to the Caribbean.
  1. The term Underground Railroad may have originated when a slave, Tice Davids, fled from Kentucky and took up refuge with John Rankin, a white abolitionist in Ripley, Ohio. Davids’ owner chased him to the Ohio River, but Davids managed to disappear without a trace. His owner was left bewildered and wondering if the slave had “gone off on some underground road.”
  1. Some examples of clever and creative ways slaves found to escape:
  • When abolitionist John Fairfield needed to sneak 28 slaves over the roads near Cincinnati, he hired a hearse and disguised the group as a funeral procession.
  • Henry “Box” Brown, a slave, had himself shipped from Richmond, VA to Philadelphia, PA in a wooden box.
  • Ellen and William Craft made a dangerous journey from the South to the North by train, steamship, and coach, dressed up as an invalid white master and his slave.

Underground Railroad Code Words

  1. Abolitionist: A person who demanded immediate emancipation of slaves
  2. Agent: Coordinator, one who plotted the course of escape and made contacts
  3. Baggage: Escaping slaves
  4. Black Grapevine: A method of communication in the black community
  5. Brakeman: A person in charge of making contacts to fugitive slaves
  6. Bundles of wood: Fugitives to be expected
  7. Bypass or Runaround: A diverted escape route
  8. Canaan: Canada
  9. Conductors: People who directly transported slaves
  10. Drinking gourd: Big Dipper and North Star
  11. Flying Bondsmen: The number of escaping slaves
  12. Forwarding: Taking fugitive slaves from station to station
  13. Freedom Line: The route of travel for an escaped slave
  14. Freedom Train: The Underground Railroad
  15. French Leave: Secret departure
  16. Gospel Train: The Underground Railroad
  17. Heaven or Promised land: Canada
  18. Jumping Off Place: A place of shelter for fugitives
  19. Load of Potatoes: Escaping slaves hidden under the farm produce in a wagon
  20. Moses: Harriet Tubman
  21. Operator: A person who aided fugitive slaves as a conductor or agent on the Underground Railroad
  22. Parcel: Fugitives to be expected
  23. Patter Roller: A bounty hunter hired to capture slaves
  24. Pilot: A person serving as a guide for runaways
  25. Preachers: Leaders, speakers of the Underground Railroad
  26. River Jordan: The Mississippi
  27. Sanctuary: A hiding place
  28. Scattered Way Wagons: A number of hiding places
  29. Shepherds: People escorting slaves
  30. Station: Place of safety and temporary refuge, safe-house
  31. Station Master: The keeper of a safe house
  32. Stockholder: Donor of money, clothing, or rood to the Underground Railroad
  33. Stop and Start: A place of shelter and a course of escape
  34. Travelers: Runaways

Underground Railroad Code Phrases

  1. “The wind blows from the South today”: A warning to Underground Railroad workers that slave bounty hunters were nearby.
  1. “When the sun comes back and the first quail calls”: A particular time of year good for escaping (early spring).
  1. “The riverbank makes a mighty good road”: A reminder that the tracking dogs can’t follow the scent through the water.
  1. “The dead trees will show you the way”: A reminder that moss grows on the NORTH side of dead trees (just in case the stars aren’t visible).
  1. “Left foot, peg foot”: A visual clue for escapees left by an Underground worker famous because of his wooden leg. His footprints were used as guidelines to the path to freedom.
  1. “The river ends between two hills”: A clue for the directions to the Ohio River
  1. “A friend with friends”: A password used to signal arrival of fugitive with an Underground Railroad conductor.
  1. “The friend of a friend sent me”: A password used by fugitives traveling alone to indicate they were sent by the Underground Railroad network.
  1. “Steal away, steal away, steal away to Jesus” (words to a song): Used to alert other slaves that an escape attempt was coming up.
  1. Load of potatoes, parcel, or bundles of wood: Fugitives to be expected.
  1. Drinking Gourd – The North Star: Fugitives knew they should always follow the Drinking Gourd because it led the way to the North where they would be free.