Fugitive
Slaves and the Underground Railroad in the Kentucky Borderland by J.
Blain Hudson, McFarland and Company, Jefferson, NC, 2002.
This
person really did their homework. There are so many stories about
slave escapes, and those who assisted the slaves that my head is
spinning. There are a couple of chapters that rely mostly on reports in
the newspapers. This includes ads from a slave holder offering reward
for the return of a runaway slave. It also includes some information
from court reports or just stories of interest. There is a chapter and
the likely routes, focusing on the places where crossing were made of
the Ohio. It also talks about those that escaped via the river on river
boats. The most interesting chapter is when the author goes into
greater detail talking about a few people, fugitives and helpers.
The
conclusion of the author: The slave escape routes often mirrored where
there were large populations of free African Americans. The
underground railroad was not always an organized situation, in fact it
very much wasn’t until the 1850s, when the Fugitive Slave Act required
it to be more organized. Not all fugitive slaves received assistance.
Those giving assistance were primarily African Americans, with also
assistance from some white abolitionists. Sometimes both fugitives and
helpers paid consequences. Several people were imprisoned for helping
slaves. There was an instance where three fugitive slaves were executed
for insurrection as the result of a mass escape.
The
courage of those on both sides of this issue must have truly amazing—to
stand up against a law, even if you know it is a poor law, is difficult
to do. When standing up against it could result in incarceration, or
death, it takes even more courage. It wasn’t until much later that
these people were recognized as heroes.
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