575 Madison Avenue, NYC

575 Madison Avenue, NYC

  • Call Now : 212.605.0200
  • Home
  • Covid 19 Response
  • About Us – 575 Madison Avenue
  • Office Plans
    • Office Space
    • Virtual Offices
  • Virtual Tours
  • Meeting Rooms
  • Visitors
    • Area Information
    • Area Map
    • Directions
  • Blog
  • Contact Us

What was the Underground Railroad?

February 9, 2017 by Blog Posts

from Harriet-Tubman.org

The Underground Railroad was formed in the early 19th century and reached its height between 1850 and 1860. Much of what we know today comes from accounts after the Civil War and accurate statistics about fugitive slaves using the Underground Railway may never be verifiable. It is believed that around 100,000 slaves between 1810 and 1860 escaped using the network. The majority of the slaves came from the upper south states that bordered free states such as Kentucky, Virginia and Maryland; very few escaped from the Deep South. By the mid 1850s the term “Underground Railroad” was becoming familiar, as this article in the New York Times of November 1852 shows

Why was it called Underground Railroad?

The Underground Railroad was not located underground nor was it a railroad. It was symbolically underground as the network’s clandestine activities were secret and illegal so they had to remain “underground” to help fugitive slaves stay out of sight. The term “railroad” was used because the railroad was an emerging system of transportation and its supporters used railroad code to communicate in secret language. Slaves used songs called spirituals to communicate with each other.

Homes where fugitives would stay and eat were called “stations” or “depots” the owner of the house was the “station master” and the “conductor” was the person responsible to move slaves from station to station. Those financing the Underground Railroad by donating money, food, and clothing were called “stockholders”. Here is a comprehensive list of secret codes and phrases.

Organization

CLICK TO FINISH THE ARTICLE

World-Wide Business Centres
Office Space and Meeting Rooms
575 Madison Avenue – 10th floor
New York, NY 10022
(212) 605-0200

 

Filed Under: Uncategorized

  • Home
  • About Us – 575 Madison Avenue
  • Office Plans
  • Virtual Tours
  • Meeting Rooms
  • Visitors
  • Blog
  • Testimonials
  • Image Gallery – 575 Madison Avenue
  • Contact Us
World-Wide Business Centres
575 Madison Avenue, 10th Floor, New York, NY 10022-2511, Phone : 212.605.0200, E-mail : info@wwbcn.com
Developed and Designed By :

Click Here for Covid-19 Response