Escape to Freedom!
The Underground Railroad
How to Escape
Hello beloved brothers and sisters. I am a free black woman, writing these specific instructions in hopes of bringing you to freedom. The journey on this Underground Railroad will be long and very hard, but it will all be worth it in the end! The South's Peculiar Institution is morally wrong, and you must escape! Denmark Vesey and Nat Turner died in the hands of southerners for fighting for our rights, so escape to the north where you won't have to live in constant fear of getting killed. Don't feel like you're alone in this, for I and several others will conduct you at different points along the way. Good luck and God bless, dear passengers!
Follow these rules and you will soon find yourself in a land where you will no longer be a slave!
Follow these rules and you will soon find yourself in a land where you will no longer be a slave!
- From your plantation in Lexington, Kentucky, carefully run north. Make sure your overseer does not notice your absence. If you forget which way is north, look up into the night sky, and follow the North Star!
*TIP: To find the North Star, search for the Little Dipper. The North Star at the end of the handle of the Little Dipper.
*If you are running during the day, look for moss growing on trees because moss grows on the north side of trees. - Head up to the Ohio River, cross it, and search for a stationmaster in Ripley, Ohio waiting to help you. They will have a lit candle hanging outside of their station, which is a sign that you can approach their house.
*TIP: While traveling, walk through rivers and streams as often as you can to cover up your scent from dogs. If there are dogs or slave catchers nearby, do not try to run away, but stay in a hiding spot until they leave. Do not get caught by a dog or slave catcher, or you will go straight back to the Black Belt and receive floggings for days. - After resting at the station overnight, continue heading north toward the Erie Canal. Some stationmasters may help you on your journey by letting you hide on their wagons.
*You will see many darkies roaming around freely in Ohio, but be careful because you can get turned in by someone else in return for a reward. - Cross Lake Erie with the help of another stationmaster in Toledo, Ohio.
- You will be in Toronto, Canada--your new home!
Underground Railroad Routes
Here are various routes taken by many brave brothers and sisters.
Harriet Tubman
Harriet Tubman, one of my dear friends, is the most courageous woman I know. You may run into her on your journey. Let her help you because she is more experienced with the Underground Railroad than any other free black man I know.
Advertisement in Canada
This is a flyer my church passed out recently. We will be discussing how to improve the treatment of fugitive slaves, so please come join us if you get here in time. How great it is to live in a country where blacks can discuss with whites how fugitives should actually be treated!