The Welsh and American Slavery

• Home
• More on the Series
• The Slave Trade
• The Slaves
• Caethfeistri
• Abolitionists
  • Morgan John Rhys
  • Iolo Morgannwg
  • Robert Everett
  • Underground Railroad
• Places to Visit

Abolitionists

Underground Railroad

This was not a real railroad, but a network of people who helped slaves to escape from the slave states of the South, towards the North and Canada in the main. It is estimated that 100 thousand slaves managed to escape in this way between 1810 and 1850.

In the 1830s, someone made a scornful comment that slaves were disappearing as if they were using an underground railroad, and the name stuck; indeed railroad terminology was used to describe the activities of the network. The houses where the refugees could seek shelter on their way were called "Stations", and those guiding them were called "conductors".

One of the most famous conductors was Harriet Tubman. After escaping herself in 1849, she went back and forth to the slave states 19 times over the next ten years, guiding approximately three hundred slaves from slavery. She used several tricks to cross the border, but nothing as inventive as Henry "Box" Brown; he locked himself in a crate and got friends to post him to his freedom!

It is not known whether Robert Everett and his family were a part of this network – but as confidentiality was so important, it was not something to be discussed openly anyway. However, there are a few records of former slaves visiting his home, and that the members of his chapel in New York State had been inspired by an address given by a former slave called George French.

It is likely that this was the first time ever that a slave was seen in one of the chapels of the Welsh people in this area Y Dyngarwr, January 1843

freedomcenter.org