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Defining Documents in American History: The Underground Railroad
Established in the late 18th century and running through the 19th century until the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863, the Underground Railroad was a carefully organized and secretive network of routes and safe houses established to help enslaved African Americans flee their captors.
Since then, much has been learned about this system and its importance in the ending of slavery in America, and this edition in the Defining Documents series presents numerous first-hand accounts of how this network came to be, how it operated, and what its legacy was.
The Underground Railroad, as it became known after news articles at the time labelled it as such, was primarily run by freed African Americans, with the assistance of abolitionists and other sympathetic parties. Numerous routes existed, including to Mexico and the Caribbean, but the best-known and most widely influential ran to the north, where passengers on the railroad escaped to free states and Canada.
By the mid-1800s, an estimated 100,000 slaves had used the network to achieve their freedom. What were the conditions that led to the railroad’s creation? How was the railroad run? Who were the conductors and primary allies of this secretive escape route? What lasting impacts did it have on America as a whole? These questions and more are discussed in detail across these two volumes, using primary documents from the time as the source for in-depth analysis, and a biographical appendix profiling the individuals who led the railroad to success.
These volumes begin with narratives from the time of the Underground Railroad, explore the development of the network from the early days of slavery, and chart its impact to the present, where social movements still resound with the same call for equality as the railroad once did.
These volumes present seventy-six primary source and historical documents including book excerpts, court opinions, debates, and interview letters, to name a few. Each document provides insights into the significance of the Underground Railroad, from the efforts to end slavery to the struggles faced post-emancipation. Social unrest and examples of modern slavery around the world are explored in relation to the lasting impact of the Underground Railroad.
The material is organized into six sections, each beginning with a brief introduction that examines the importance of the topic through a variety of historical documents.
- The Railroad Comes to Life in Words and Song
- The Beginnings: Slavery Enshrined & Abolished, Laying the Tracks for the Underground Railroad
- The 1800s and the Journey Underground
- What Followed: Optimism & Terror
- The Underground Railroad Above Ground
- Contemporary Parallels
The documents contained within these sections provide an overview of the historical context and significance of the Underground Railroad, exploring years of the Underground Railroad’s operation from approximately 1800-1865 and into the modern day where its influence reverberates in modern equality efforts such as the Black Lives Matter Movement.
Each Historical Document is supported by a critical essay, written by historians, teachers, and researchers, that includes a Summary Overview, Defining Moment, About the Author, Document Analysis, and Essential Themes. An important feature of each essay is a close reading of the primary source that develops broader themes, such as the author’s rhetorical purpose, social or class position, point of view, and other relevant issues. Each essay also includes a section entitled Bibliography and Additional Reading that provides suggestions for further readings and research.
Appendixes include:
- Chronological List which arranges all documents by year
- Web Resources, an annotated list of websites that offer valuable supplemental resources
- Bibliography lists of helpful articles and books for further study
About the Series
The Defining Documents series provides in-depth commentary and analysis on the most important primary source documents in the United States and the world. The Defining Documents series is perfect for students, those researching a particular era, or anyone interested in world history. Visit www.salempress.com for more information about additional titles in this series.
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