Debunking Myths: A Realistic View of the Underground Railroad

In his history of the Underground Railroad, Gateway to Freedom, Eric Foner discusses the many facets of the Underground Railroad in the 19th century and the plight of fugitive slaves as they made their way from southern states into upstate New York and Canada. By writing this history using the stories of fugitive slaves instead of only accounts of white abolitionists, Foner debunks romanticized misconceptions of the Underground Railroad as a cohesive and highly organized pathway 18th century slaves used to escape, extending all the way into the lower South. He argues instead that the “Underground Railroad” was merely a term used to describe the local groups, committees and abolitionists that worked together using various means to help fugitives on their journey to freedom.

Foner prefaces his book with earlier narratives of the Underground Railroad, emphasizing how they incorrectly define the railroad as an intricate network of tunnels, trains and stations, all a

Foner challenges this common view by writing about the many different aspects of the Underground Railroad, such as escorting fugitives and fundraising for abolitionism, controlled by various groups. He compiles the history of the Railroad based on the viewpoints of these different people and groups involved in its maintenance: white and black abolitionist committees, Garrisonians, and the fugitives themselves. He makes it clear that there was no set method for retrieving slaves and putting an end to slavery, map of fugitive movement all throughout the South, or single leading coalition of the 19th century abolitionist movement. Instead, he argues that the Railroad consisted of many people using different methods, whether they be political, violent, or morally persuasive, all to terminate the suffering of slaves in the