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The
idea of enslaving human beings was not acceptable to
many people and so the Underground Railroad came into
being. This
was network of abolitionists who helped slaves escape
to Ohio and Canada.
Safe houses, hopefully no farther than 10-11
miles apart, were called “stations”, those who
guided the escapees were known as “conductors” and
the runaways themselves were called “passengers”.
Reaching
a “station” in the North meant food, clothing, and
a place to hide if capture seemed imminent.
Estimates are that as many as 100,000 people
escaped slavery between the American Revolution and
the Civil War.
The
blacks were not allowed to learn to read and write so
the abolitionists had to devise a way to silently
communicate directions to escapees, thus the idea of
quilt patterns with meanings for those wanting freedom
came into being.
These quilts with special patterns could be
hung on a line, out an open window or other places and
not arouse any suspicions.
They looked simply like a housewife airing her
bedding.
We
have put together 15 different quilt blocks each with
its own meaning to show how this plan worked.
Of course, the slaves had to learn the meanings
ahead of time.
#1
is Jacob’s Ladder
– It has an alternating path of dark and light that
can be used to show a direction.
The slaves could know which way to go by the
angle at which the quilt was placed outside the home
of the abolitionist.
#2
is the Monkey Wrench – It was heavy metal tool used by the
blacksmith. As
a rule, the blacksmith was the most knowledgeable
person on the plantation and was known as the
“Monkey Wrench”.
He could travel around without anyone thinking
anything suspicious and therefore pass any information
needed. In
other words, the Monkey Wrench was the person or a
group of people who got things moving, or - turned the
wagon wheel.
When
this quilt was displayed it meant it was time collect
tools needed on the journey north to freedom.
There were physical tools needed – for
constructing shelter, for defending themselves, and
determining direction.
Along with food, and a few coins, they were to
wrap these tools in a bandanna bundle.
#3
is the Wagon Wheel – Not only was the wagon wheel symbolic of a
“chariot that was to carry them home”, but wagons
with hidden compartments were one of the primary means
of transporting escaping runaways.
The quilt was a message to pack provisions as
if packing a wagon, keeping in mind packing only what
was essential.
#4
is the Carpenter’s Wheel – This was a secondary code pattern.
To the slave, the master carpenter in their
lives was Jesus.
They would sing the “Swing Low Sweet
Chariot” and the plantation owner thought they were
singing about going to Heaven, but actually it was
message to follow the directions to the west northwest
– to Ohio.
#5
is the Bear Paw – With this quilt the runaways were directed to
follow an actual trail of a bear’s footprints.
The animal footprints would indicate the best
path, just like a road map.
Most escapes took place in the spring and with
the spring rains it would be easy to follow a bear’s
paw trail to food and safety.
#6
is the Basket – Symbol of provisions
needed for the long journey north.
One of the most difficult things faced by the
escaping slaves was feeding themselves along the way.
They took what they could carry and then had to
depend on safe houses or friends to help.
Abolitionists would give them baskets of
provisions and tools such as flint and compasses.
So one of these quilts hung outside a house
would mean a basket of provisions could be had there.
#7
is Crossroads
– Once
escapees made it safely through the Appalachian
Mountains, they were to travel to the “crossroads”
meaning a city where they would find protection and
refuge. The
main crossroad, or terminal, was Cleveland, Ohio.
There were four or five overland trails
connected with Cleveland, and numerous water routes,
crossing Lake Erie into Canada and freedom.
#8
is the Log Cabin – The block may have
indicated there was a specific log cabin in Cleveland
that was a safe house, or it may have directed the
runaway to build a log cabin to weather out winter and
perhaps establish a permanent residence in a
“free” area.
The
usual center color of the block was red, representing
the hearth or fire of the cabin.
If the center block was black it indicated the
home it hung in front of was a safe house.
If the center block was yellow it meant to
watch for a light, or lantern.
#9
is Shoo-Fly –
This pattern represents an actual person who would
help escaping slaves.
His responsibility was to secretly aid and
harbor fugitives.
Sometimes the slaves hid out in churches, or
caves referred to as cathedrals.
Graveyards were frequently the hiding place,
especially if they were located on the outskirts of
town, or were close to rivers.
#10
is Bow Tie – A quilt of this pattern was a directive for
them to dress in a conventional manner. When they first escaped their clothes were those of the
slaves under a master.
On the journey they became tattered and torn,
so free blacks would often meet them in a safe place
and give them fresh clothing so they wouldn’t stand
out among the city folks.
This way they could walk through town
undetected to ships waiting to take them across the
Great Lakes to Canada and freedom.
#11 is Flying Geese –
With this quilt the slaves learned they were to take
their direction, timing, and behavior from the
migrating geese.
Since geese fly north in the spring, it was
also the best time for slaves to escape.
Geese have to stop at waterways along their
journey in order to rest and eat.
Especially since geese make loud honking noises
it was easy for runaways to follow their flight
pattern.
#12
is Birds in the Air – This quilt is also symbolic of flight or
migration. The
clever quilter would make one block with one color
dominant so it gave the direction in which to travel
depending on the direction the quilt was displayed.
#13
is the Drunkard’s Path
– This is known by a number of different names
depending on whether or not the owner was a
teetotaler. No
matter what it was called, in the Underground
Railroad, it meant that the escapees should travel in
a staggering fashion to confuse any slave hunters who
might be following them.
#14
is the Sailboat – This pattern was the symbol of safe water
passage to freedom.
Free black sailors and ship owners helped many
slaves escape directly, hiding them on board ships and
spiriting them away to Canada.
#15
is the North Star –This is also known as the drinking gourd
(the Big Dipper). The North Star was the guiding light because it always points
to the north. It
was an important navigational tool for the ship owners
who took the slaves from Cleveland or Detroit to
Canada.
The
North Star is the last block in the Underground Railroad Sampler
quilt. The
quilt top was finished into a light-weight quilt,
raffled off for the benefit of the Edwards Historical
Association and won by an appreciative teacher at
Edwards-Knox Central School, Chris Backus, who plans
to use it in her classroom.
LaVerne
H. Freeman
12
July 2005
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