Underground Railroad: Code Words

The Underground Railroad helped millions of slaves escape to freedom. People who worked for the Underground Railroad felt that they had to set slaves free because it was wrong to make people work for no pay. Many also thought that people should all be treated equally, even if they had different colored skin. They helped slaves escape to freedom in the north by hiding them and moving them in wagons, on horse, and on foot. Abolitionists also helped slaves escape by giving them shelter and food along the way.

The Underground Railroad had a lot of code names so no one knew what they were saying. They didn’t want people to know what they were saying because someone might turn them in for stealing property. The slaves were property of the slave owners and they were stealing them. One code word was "lines." The lines were the routes outlining where the people could go to escape to freedom.

The slaves were the passengers or cargo and were called "freight" or "packages." The places where the "packages" were delivered were called "stations." They were called stations because the stops on a real train are also called stations. Finally, the people helping to guide the slaves along the railroad were called "conductors." Harriet Tubman was the most famous conductor on the Underground Railroad.

Code Words:

• Abolitionist = a person who demanded immediate emancipation of slaves
• Agent = coordinator, plotting course of escape, making contacts
• Drinking gourd = Big Dipper and the North star
• Freedom train or Gospel train = code name for the Underground Railroad
• Heaven or Promised land = Canada
• Preachers = leaders, speakers underground railroad
• Shepherds = people escorting slaves
• Station = place of safety and temporary refuge, safe-house
• Station Master = keeper of safe-house
• Stockholder = donor of money, clothing, or food to the Underground railroad
• Underground Railroad Code Phrases
• "The wind blows from the south today"= warning of slave bounty hunters nearby
• "A friend with friends" = A password used to signal arrival of fugitives with underground railroad conductor
• "The friend of a friend sent me" = a password used by fugitives traveling alone to indicate they were sent by the underground railroad network
• Load of Potatoes, Parcel, or Bundles of Wood = fugitives to be expected