![]() acquired Florida from Spain in 1819, hundreds of maroons fled to Andros Island in the Bahamas. And because the population was mainly Black, it was easy for fugitive slaves to assimilate into a diverse community of native Bahamians, made up of Bahamian descendants of African slaves, Africans and maroons, also called "Black Seminoles," who were runaways from the deep South and Gulf coast who sought refuge with the Seminole Indians in Florida.īetween 18, in the early years after the U.S. Free Blacks in the British Bahamas could get married, own land and pursue an education – basic human rights that were inconceivable for enslaved human beings in the antebellum South. Secondly, most of its inhabitants were Black, making it possible for resistance movements on the islands to take hold. And in 1834, slavery was abolished in all British territories, including the Bahamas. For one, in 1825 the British government decreed that anyone who relocated to British territory was free, regardless of their prior status. Situated 150 miles (241 kilometers) off the coast of Key Biscayne in Miami, Florida, the Bahamas were a viable destination for several reasons. Once out to sea, under cover of night, they faced unimaginable unknowns: unpredictable weather and storms, recapture by slave hunters, assault by pirates, and unfathomably deep, dark waters. "An underground from Georgia and Alabama, maybe South Carolina too, extended into Spanish Florida," says George.įrom there, some paid for their passage on Bahamian vessels, while others made their way across the perilous Atlantic in dugout canoes and small boats. Fugitives from Southern slave states sought refuge on South Florida's beaches. which might be havens for fugitive slaves," says George.īelieved to have operated between 18, the Saltwater Underground Railroad refers to the coastal escape route followed by fugitive slaves into the British-controlled Bahamas. "The Saltwater Underground Railroad headed south into Spanish Florida - a region which was really off the grid and close to other areas outside of the U.S. In the early 1800s, enslaved Black people in Florida and other regions of the deep South were hundreds of miles from border states like Maryland and Kentucky and thousands of miles away from the "promised land" of British Canada, making their options and odds for a successful escape close to zero. Paul George, resident historian at HistoryMiami Museum, in an email interview. "There is a Southern Underground Railroad that is little known, not just to the average American, but also to many students of U.S. Some chose to stay in Michigan.įugitives who made it to the north often worked to help other enslaved people escape through the Underground Railroad.But did you know there was a Southern version of the Underground Railroad as well? At night, fugitives would go to a depot in the next town. Conductors hid fugitives in their homes and barns during the day. Many towns in southern Michigan were part of the Underground Railroad. Conductorson the Underground Railroad helped them find routes and ways to escape to the north. They traveled mostly by foot, but sometimes by horse, train or even fancy carriages. Fugitives had to be careful not to be noticed, so many wore disguises. Many fugitives that were caught were whipped, beaten or even made to wear chains. They knew that the punishment was harsh if they were caught. Fugitives were determined, cautious, and courageous. Many of the fugitives that came to Michigan were enslaved in Kentucky.Įscaping was dangerous. Many fugitives went to the northern United States and Canada where they could be free. People who escape slavery were considered fugitives, because it was against the law to escape. This network was called “Underground” because it was top secret, and “Railroad” because terms like “conductor” and “depot” were used as codes for helpers and safe places. ![]() It was a network of people, both black and white, who helped enslaved people, people forced to perform labor and services against their will, escape from their enslavers, people who enslave another person. The Underground Railroad was not a real railroad. See all Stories in States of Incarceration.“Wish You Were Here:” Prison Tourism in Michigan.See all Stories in Discoveries in the Archives.Over There: A Family History Mystery Solution?.Finding Manley McNitt: Hurricane Harvey and a Michigan Civil War Soldier.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |