Escape from Slavery
Fardin Rahman
Instructions to reach freedom
- Escaping the peculiar institution will be a dangerous journey to freedom, but there is no choice except to run away.
- Revolts haven't done much in the freedom of slaves, regardless of the slave revolt leaders such as Nat Turner and Denmark Vesey.
- You will start your journey in the Black Belt and your objective is to reach a place in the far north called Canada, where slaves can get their freedom.
- In order to find out which way to go, look above at the night sky to find the North Star and run towards that direction.
- Just in case the North Star is hard to see, moss growing on trees can be served as a compass because they usually grow on the north side of tree trunks.
- However, the risk is to not let yourself get caught. If an overseer finds you running away, their punishments could be severe with methods such as flogging.
- Traveling by rivers and streams is a good way to avoid dogs because they can't track scents when you're in water.
- The Underground Railroad has various methods to help you escape, but please be careful because this is a very dangerous task.
- A stationmaster named John Rankin will put a candle in his window to signal if it is safe to cross the Ohio River.
- Stationmasters will provide safe places for you to hide such as attics, basements, or barns.
- Conductors will at times use horse-drawn wagons to safely carry you between safe houses.
- Some wagons are also a good place to hide because they have secret compartments hidden in the bottom.
- As soon as you cross the Ohio River, you will reach Cleveland, Ohio where slavery is outlawed.
- However, please be aware that if you get caught in the northern free states, then chances are that you will be returned to the southern states.
- By the time you're in Canada, you will be able to live comfortably because slavery is strictly outlawed there.
- American slaveholders will have no right to capture you and take you back to the south.