Fleeing to Freedom on the Underground Railroad: The Courageous Slaves, Agents, and Conductors (People's History)

Grade 5 Up Landau discusses the history of slavery in the United States, slave life, the Underground Railroad, and the leaders, both black and white, of antislavery organizations. Three chapters outline specifics of slaves' escapes, including that of Henry Brown, who mailed himself in a box to the North. An outstanding feature of this book is the use of primary sources and quotes from former slaves, contemporary newspaper accounts, and reminiscences of escaped slaves. Harriet Tubman and Levi Coffin, a white merchant who put his abolitionist beliefs into action as a part of the Underground Railroad, are spotlighted. Excellent historical photographs and illustrations enhance the text. Back matter includes the texts of the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 and the Emancipation Proclamation, extensive source notes, and a list of places to visit.