Young Writers Society

Hey, guys,
I'm writing a novel set in the 1800's, having to do with the Underground Railroad. I was wondering if any of you knew how it was run. Did they, under cover of night, take former slaves to a safe house where they were hidden in trapdoors and such until they could be taken to the north? That's what I'm getting, and it's actually surprising how difficult it is to dredge this kind of thing up. Perhaps some of you are better at searching the web; there is an element of skill to it, and I don't have it, anyway, I was wondering if any of you knew how they conducted it, or any information you have, really. Thanks!!

Mainly, it would be places like attics and barns- places where you could easily stash away groups of twenty or so people.

The Quakers would be a good lot to research. They were the main brain of the operations.

Abolitionist history is really interesting, so I'd start any search with that so you get a sense of the atmosphere you're writing in. Sumner's caning in the Senate is probably the most backwardsly amusing thing ever to touch American history books.

I have, unfortunately, fell out of this period a decade or more ago. I do remember that the songs the slaves sung, weren't to pass the day's work away but were codes to help the runaway slaves find a santuary until they reached the north.

A good place is the Library of Congress. You can goolgle it by typing the title. It was TONS and TONS of archives and collections.

I spend way too much time there. I once read letters from Sam and John Adams, Jefferson, Washington, and even Lincoln. It's incrediable what's survived, and we're talking original letters, in their own handwriting. Truly mind-boggling what you can find on that site.

It was common for slaves to be hidden in safe houses during the day, then travel under the floor of a wagon at night to the next safe house. There's a story that quilts were hung outside safe houses with the designs displayed telling if it was safe to enter or not, but most of these are oral histories so historians tend to easily discount them. If you're looking for basic information, children's books tend to be a good place to start. Young adult books as well, because these often have appendicies in the back that give references and more information.

Good luck!
Amelia

It was actually really cool, if you ask me. The safehouses would place a candle in their window if they were accepting slaves that night.

I would suggest finding the sight for the Freedom Center in Cincinnati, Ohio and looking at the information is has--the museum has one of the best Underground Railroad displays I have ever seen.