February 16, 2021 ▸ History

Episode 558: Underground Railroad: Light in American Darkness

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On this episode of the Sofa King Podcast, we travel back in time and look at the history of the Underground Railroad. Some people estimate that this unofficial network of abolitionists helped 100,000 slaves escape to Canada. Key figures such as Harriet Tubman, Sojourner Truth, Frederick Douglas, and John Brown helped this movement grow and served as a beacon of hope for millions of American black slaves.

The Underground Railroad was of course neither underground nor a railroad, but it did use railroad terminology to help code what they were talking about. In fact, everything from the roles people played to the religious songs that slaves would sing on the plantation served a purpose. Some songs would give directions North and others warnings to nearby slaves on the run, all in the guise of religious music. Pretty ingenious.

There was no central leader or even a formal group that was the Underground Railroad. Instead, it was just a whole lot of like-minded individuals who wanted human lives to matter and parents a chance to see their children grow in safety and freedom. Some of the stories of these people are pretty amazing, ballsy, and inspirational, so you want to give this one a listen.

 

Visit Our Sources:

https://www.history.com/topics/black-history/underground-railroad

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Underground_Railroad

https://www.womenshistory.org/education-resources/biographies/sojourner-truth

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Songs_of_the_Underground_Railroad

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Anti-Slavery_Standard#Editors

https://www.history.com/news/underground-railroad-mexico-escaped-slaves