Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad songs & stories Linda Harris and David Cole Cozad Bates House 11508 Mayfield Road, Cleveland November 19, 2022
The Underground Railroad was a network of secret routes and safe houses established in the United States during the early 1800s to help slaves escape into free states and Canada. It was run by abolitionists and others sympathetic to the cause of the escapees.
They shared stories and songs of Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad efforts for freedom.
Harriet Tubman
This is Linda's song about walking with Harriet Tubman to Freedom.
As David provided background on the banjo, Linda told several stories about the diminutive (5'2") Harriet Tubman who despite a blow to the head came back 13 times to help other groups of slaves to freedom. Linda has led tours and traveled the route that Harriet Tubman traveled.
She said that the Underground Railroad was all about people, places and codes and was very organized.
In introducing the classic song Follow the Drinking Gourd Linda explained that the drinking gourd is in the shape of the Big and Little Dippers and at the base is the North Star and North meant freedom.
Having walked the route that Harriet took several times Linda said it's hard to imagine the difficulties that she and the others had to endure.
The stories and songs continued including the Negro SpiritualGo Down Moses - Let my People Go.
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