
Taking the Underground Railroad to Freedom – Selected True Stories from Former Slaves & Abolitionists (Illustrated) (Annotated)
Enriched Edition. Courageous Journeys to LiberationBy William Still, Sarah Bradford, Laura S. HavilandLength65h 25m
About this audiobook
Taking the Underground Railroad to Freedom gathers firsthand narratives and abolitionist testimony into a vivid documentary portrait of resistance, flight, and moral courage in nineteenth-century America. Blending memoir, biography, reportage, and reform literature, the volume situates individual escapes within the larger struggle against slavery. Its illustrated format further underscores the immediacy of these true stories, from perilous journeys northward to acts of clandestine assistance that transformed ordinary homes, roads, and waterways into routes of liberation. The collection draws on the work of William Still, Sarah Bradford, and Laura S. Haviland, figures deeply connected to abolitionist networks and the preservation of formerly enslaved people's experiences. Together, their writings reflect the intertwined labors of Black self-emancipation, interracial activism, women's reform movements, and antebellum humanitarian advocacy. Their varied perspectives illuminate not only the mechanics of the Underground Railroad but also the ethical, religious, and political convictions that sustained it. This volume is recommended for readers seeking a compact yet richly textured encounter with the literature of abolition and freedom. By bringing multiple voices and genres into conversation, it offers both historical evidence and literary witness. Students, scholars, and general readers alike will find in these pages an instructive record of courage, solidarity, and the enduring power of testimony.
This enriched edition has been carefully crafted to add value to your reading experience.
- An Introduction draws the threads together, discussing why these diverse authors and texts belong in one collection.
- Historical Context explores the cultural and intellectual currents that shaped these works, offering insight into the shared (or contrasting) eras that influenced each writer.
- A combined Synopsis (Selection) briefly outlines the key plots or arguments of the included pieces, helping readers grasp the anthology's overall scope without giving away essential twists.
- A collective Analysis highlights common themes, stylistic variations, and significant crossovers in tone and technique, tying together writers from different backgrounds.
- Reflection questions encourage readers to compare the different voices and perspectives within the collection, fostering a richer understanding of the overarching conversation.
Audiobook details
GenreHistory, Literary Classics
Length65 hrs 25 mins
Narrated byListen with 1,000+ voices
FormateBook with Audio
Publish dateFeb 9, 2017
LanguageEnglish
Table of contents
1Taking the Underground Railroad to Freedom – Selected True Stories from Former Slaves & Abolitionists (Illustrated) (Annotated)
2Introduction
3Historical Context
4Synopsis (Selection)
5PREFACE TO REVISED EDITION
Show all chaptersShow less
6SETH CONCKLIN
7EXTRACT OF A LETTER FROM REV. N.R. JOHNSTON
8LETTERS FROM LEVI COFFIN
9McKIERNON'S LETTER
10WM. STILL'S ANSWER
11THE SEPARATION
12UNDERGROUND RAIL ROAD LETTERS
13LETTER FROM THOMAS GARRETT (U.G.R.R. DEPOT)
14LETTER FROM MISS G.A. LEWIS (U.G.R.R. DEPOT)
15LETTER FROM E.L. STEVENS, ESQ
16LETTER FROM S.H. GAY, ESQ., EX-EDITOR OF THE ANTI-SLAVERY STANDARD AND NEW YORK TRIBUNE
17LETTER FROM JOHN H. HILL, A FUGITIVE, APPEALING IN BEHALF OF A POOR SLAVE IN PETERSBURG, VA
18LETTER FROM J. BIGELOW, ESQ
19LETTER FROM HAM & EGGS, SLAVE (U.G.R.R. AG'T)
20LETTER FROM REV H. WILSON (U.G.R.R. AG'T)
21LETTER FROM SHERIDAN FORD, IN DISTRESS
22LETTER FROM E.F. PENNYPACKER (U.G.R.R. DEPOT)
23LETTER FROM JOS. C. BUSTILL (U.G.R.R. DEPOT)
24LETTER FROM A SLAVE SECRETED IN RICHMOND
25LETTER FROM G.S. NELSON (U.G.R.R. DEPOT)
26LETTER FROM JOHN THOMPSON
27LETTER FROM "WM. PENN" (OF THE BAR)
28LETTER FROM MISS THEODOCIA GILBERT
29WILLIAM PEEL, ALIAS WILLIAM BOX PEEL JONES ARRIVED PER ERRICSON LINE OF STEAMERS, WRAPPED IN STRAW AND BOXED UP, APRIL, 1859
30DEATH OF ROMULUS HALL — NEW NAME GEORGE WEEMS
31JAMES MERCER, WM. H. GILLIAM, AND JOHN CLAYTON STOWED AWAY IN A HOT BERTH
32LETTER FROM MRS. L.E. WHITE
33LETTER FROM WILLIAM HENRY GILLIAM
34JAMES MERCER'S LETTER
35JOHN H. HILL'S LETTER
36CLARISSA DAVIS ARRIVED DRESSED IN MALE ATTIRE
37ANTHONY BLOW, ALIAS HENRY LEVISON SECRETED TEN MONTHS BEFORE STARTING — EIGHT DAYS STOWED AWAY ON A STEAMER BOUND FOR PHILADELPHIA
38PERRY JOHNSON, OF ELKTON, MARYLAND EYE KNOCKED OUT, ETC
39ISAAC FORMAN, WILLIAM DAVIS, AND WILLIS REDICK HEARTS FULL OF JOY FOR FREEDOM — VERY ANXIOUS FOR WIVES IN SLAVERY
40EXTRACT OF LETTER FROM ISAAC FORMAN
41WILLIS REDICK
42WILLIAM DAVIS
43JOSEPH HENRY CAMP THE AUCTION BLOCK IS DEFEATED AND A SLAVE TRADER LOSES FOURTEEN HUNDRED DOLLARS
44SHERIDAN FORD SECRETED IN THE WOODS — ESCAPES IN A STEAMER
45JOSEPH KNEELAND, ALIAS JOSEPH HULSON
46EX-PRESIDENT TYLER'S HOUSEHOLD LOSES AN ARISTOCRATIC "ARTICLE"
47EDWARD MORGAN, HENRY JOHNSON, JAMES AND STEPHEN BUTLER
48HENRY PREDO BROKE JAIL, JUMPED OUT OF THE WINDOW AND MADE HIS ESCAPE
49DANIEL HUGHES
50THOMAS ELLIOTT