Wilbur Siebert's "The Underground Railroad from Slavery to Freedom" 1898 (click to enlarge)

Introduction

The Underground Railroad (UGRR) was neither underground nor a railroad. Rather, it refers to the 19th century movement of enslaved African-Americans seeking freedom in various locations, and the assistance they received on their journey. The network that develop united different people-Black and White, enslaved and free, Northern and Southern, ordinary and extraordinary-in a common cause.

The learning materials provided here are based on a presentation given by Chief Justice Randall T. Shepard at a June 20, 2003 workshop on “Teaching the Underground Railroad.” The workshop explored the history of the UGRR, followed a case study of how an enslaved African might have come through Indiana, and discussed the types of resources available on the subject and how teachers might use these resources in the classroom. The materials presented below focus on the case study and include lesson plans, other materials, and copies of relevant cases from Indiana’s history.

Supporting Materials

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Document Title	PDF
Teacher Resources Packet: Lessons on the Underground Railroad
Article: "The Indiana Supreme Court and the Struggle Against Slavery "
The Case of Mary Clark
1819 Ind. Laws ch.1
1831 Ind. Rev. Laws ch. LXVI
Indiana's Constitution of 1851, Article 13	n/a
Freeman v. Robinson
Barkshire v. State
Journal & Courier Article, "Justice Speaks of African-American History," 03-04-2004
Registry of Negroes and Mulattos	n/a