Physicality of the Underground Railroad
There were many different types of physciality's that effected the efficiency of the Underground Railroad. Two of the main examples were encampments and safe houses. The encampments were usually small societies in nature, such as swamps in Virginia or the wilderness in Alabama. With the help that these encampments
were hidden in nature, slaves were able to go undetected furthering their journey to freedom.
Another example of a physicality were "safe houses". These were houses deemed safe, where slaves could stay for a short period of time and then move to another destination at night. Slaves used transportation such as lakes and rivers to not risk leaving footprints in the ground. Aspects which helped the encampments run efficiently were the language and codes spoken between slaves and abolitionists. Safe houses used codes such as agents, conductors, and station masters which helped mislead owners looking for runaways, thinking their slaves were on an actual underground railroad.
were hidden in nature, slaves were able to go undetected furthering their journey to freedom.
Another example of a physicality were "safe houses". These were houses deemed safe, where slaves could stay for a short period of time and then move to another destination at night. Slaves used transportation such as lakes and rivers to not risk leaving footprints in the ground. Aspects which helped the encampments run efficiently were the language and codes spoken between slaves and abolitionists. Safe houses used codes such as agents, conductors, and station masters which helped mislead owners looking for runaways, thinking their slaves were on an actual underground railroad.
Hidden In Plain Sight
An important part of the language was the secrecy which helped conceal the slave's plan for escaping to freedom. Slaves were believed to be escaping to Canada where slavery was illegal. Examples of the coded secrecy were messages put in songs, and even threaded into quilts. The physicality's and language greatly contributed to the efficiency of the Underground Railroad, by allowing communication about destination without being detected.