-- HOP ON BOARD

  Harriet Tubman  had by now  been living in the north as a self-declared free woman, though she was a  so-called"fugitive" from the  the south. She decided that she would help her family and others to freedom, going back down south many times to serve as a "conductor" on the Underground Railroad.

It was highly dangerous for an enslaved person to try to escape, and many times  their efforts were unsuccessful. Severe punishments awaited  those attempting to runaway. But as many of these
people thought, they would rather take the risk if freedom were possible. Most thought that a life lived in bondage was not worth living. 

During the 17th and early 18th centuries, there were some escape routes going south to Florida where fugitive enslaved people were assisted by Seminole Native Americans. In the 19th century, particularly after 1850, there were many routes going north.  The most difficult escape routes were from the Deep South. The eastern route out of Maryland and Delaware were shorter, and more successful attempts were made from there. Harriet Tubman's escape was on this Eastern route.


Many further west escaped through Kentucky over the Ohio River.  The enslaved people looked at the Ohio River as their River Jordan. An Ohio town, Ripley, was well-known for welcoming enslaved people who had escaped. Until 1850, these African Americans lived in relative safety. The Fugitive Slave law of 1850 made escape, and assisting escape, a Federal felony. This meant that those former enslaved Americans living in the North were no longer safe.  Many had to move north to Canada.

Those escaping slavery had no maps, no directions.  There were songs sung by enslaved African Americans with possible secret meanings serving as directions. Ingenious methods of escape were thought up.An enslaved man named Henry Brown, with the assistance of some abolitionists, made some holes in a crate and had himself sealed inside, then shipped to Philadelphia. He became known as Henry Box Brown.Assisted by abolitionist Sam Smith (who later spent years in prison for his activities), Henry Box Brown's success was repeated by others.  It is interesting that he was one of the few escapees to actually ride on a real train.So too were William and Ellen Craft-- a man and woman who went by train to the North from Georgia. Ellen was light-skinned and could "pass for white."  She dressed up in a man's clothing pretending to be the master, accompanied by "his" servant, William.. She wore a bandage on her face, pretending that she had a tooth infection.  She had her wrist bandaged to hide the fact that she could not write. 


It is theorized that symbols, and  coded messages were sometimes used..  Some escapees were led by"conductors" such as Harriet Tubman. Many enslaved Americans who ran away traveled alone, though it was not uncommon for small groups to go together.

Still, escaping was dangerous and most often, doomed to failure. There were bounty hunters who would search for the enslaved escapees. The problem intensified when, in 1850, the Fugitive Slave Law made it unsafe for all African Americans to live in the north. The routes had to be extended to Canada. Harriet led some people to Ontario.


In this song Harriet is urging some enslaved people to follow her to freedom.  Harriet Tubman was known as "Moses," and is referred to that name in the song. The term "drinking gourd" is referred to in the song as well. The "drinking gourd" is the constellation Big Dipper which points to the North Star. It is probable that  enslaved people followed the north star and the Drinking Gourd.

LYRICS

Come... hop on board, the underground railroad,
Brothers and sisters follow me,
This glory train is leaving soon.
It's a difficult journey which will set you free. 

It's gonna leave soon, the Underground Railroad.
Follow your Moses on the freedom train.

I'm the conductor for the passengers..echo..
With little to lose and much to gain.

We'll pray for protection from our merciful lord,
As we steal away following the drinking gourd.
I'm the conductor for the runaways,
The underground railroad--hop on board.

So run on quickly to the underground railroad,
Brothers and sisters follow me,
An invisible train, is departing shortly,
Hop on board....echo... hop on board....echo...
hop on board....echo... hop on board,....echo... 

Hop on board the train that will set you free.

Please click on the score page below to see the whole song.
(coming soon)




Improvisation, by Bernie Katzman