Underground Railroad Secret Codes
Supporters of the Underground Railroad used words railroad conductors employed everyday to create their own code as secret language in order to help slaves escape. Railroad language was chosen because the railroad was an emerging form of transportation and its communication language was not widespread. Code words would be used in letters to “agents” so that if they were intercepted they could not be caught. Underground Railroad code was also used in songs sung by slaves to communicate among each other without their masters being aware.
These are the most commonly used code words and their meanings:
Agent | Coordinator, who plotted courses of escape and made contacts. |
Baggage | Fugitive slaves carried by Underground Railroad workers. |
Bundles of wood | Fugitives that were expected. |
Canaan | Canada |
Conductor | Person who directly transported slaves |
Drinking Gourd | Big Dipper and the North Star |
Flying bondsmen | The number of escaping slaves |
Forwarding | Taking slaves from station to station |
Freedom train | The Underground Railroad |
French leave | Sudden departure |
Gospel train | The Underground Railroad |
Heaven | Canada, freedom |
Stockholder | Those who donated money, food, clothing. |
Load of potatoes | Escaping slaves hidden under farm produce in a wagon |
Moses | Harriet Tubman |
Operator | Person who helped freedom seekers as a conductor or agent |
Parcel | Fugitives that were expected |
Patter roller | Bounty hunter hired to capture slaves |
Preachers | Leaders of and spokespersons for the Underground Railroad |
Promised Land | Canada |
River Jordan | Ohio River |
Shepherds | People who encouraged slaves to escape and escorted them |
Station | Place of safety and temporary refuge, a safe house |
Station master | Keeper or owner of a safe house |
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Category: Underground Railroad