The Underground Railroad was an intricate, decentralized network established by diverse groups, including White abolitionists, free Blacks, and former slaves, to assist individuals escaping slavery from 1780 until 1865. Despite its name, it was not a physical railway; rather, it comprised secret routes and safe houses allowing enslaved people to reach free states or even Mexico. The term "underground railroad" emerged partially from a misunderstanding by a slave owner, as detailed by abolitionist William M. Mitchell, who explained how one individual’s escape spurred the name’s origin. The network’s reach extended beyond the north into southern regions, showcasing its breadth and complexity.
A slave, in the State of Kentucky, came to the conclusion that he was not a mere thing, but a man with immortal destinies in common with other men...He eloped, and his master followed...disappointed, he turned upon the poor Abolitionists, and said, 'The d-d Abolitionists must have a railroad under the ground...' This is the derivation of the term 'Underground Railroad.'
The Underground Railroad was a decentralized network of White abolitionists, free Blacks, former slaves, Mexicans, Native Americans, and others... established secret routes and havens to help slaves escape bondage, operating between circa 1780 and 1865.
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