The Underground Railroad was not actually underground. Rather, the name comes from the idea that it was not openly publicized. It was a network of safe houses and routes of travel established in the U.S. during the early to mid-19th century. African American slaves used this network to flee to free states, Canada and Nova Scotia where they could escape captivity. Some routes also led to Mexico or overseas where slavery was . Although slaveowners were white, not every white person agreed with the practice. Some of the abolitionists and their supporters were white. The term refers to everyone who aided the fugitive slaves in their escape efforts.

A series of symbols was developed as a to fleeing slaves so they would be aware of their surroundings.

Typically, the abolitionists involved in the Underground Railroad were privy to the operation only to the extent that they were . Not many of the activists involved knew the entire inner workings of the network. It was far too risky. If one of them had been caught and made to talk, it could have the entire effort.

Prior to the Underground Railroad, slaves would make their own attempts at freedom. Even after the was developed, runaways were on their own until certain points North where it was safer for a station to exist. This led to further rising between Northern and Southern states. Consequently, the Fugitive Slave Act of 1793 was enacted to Northerners to return runaway slaves to the South. This act had bounty hunters coming out of the woodwork trying to cash in on the action.

In order to help one another, enslaved people on plantations sang , which are different from hymns and psalms sung in church. While white plantation owners were content thinking that their slaves were happy and singing in the fields, these lyrics actually served a purpose that was separate from chronicling the harsh condition of being a slave.