Visit Your Local PBS Station PBS Home PBS Home Programs A-Z TV Schedules Watch Video
Shop PBS
Search PBS

Underground Railroad: The William Still Story  Coded Spirituals

Well-known Negro Spirituals of the mid-1800s are much more complex than they first appear. Details

 

Program: Underground Railroad: The William Still Story

Episode: Coded Spirituals

Many of the well-known Negro Spirituals popular in the United States during the mid-1800s are much more complex than they first appear. Historians of the Underground Railroad refer to them as "Coded Spirituals". What that means is that the words actually have two meanings; one that is immediately apparent and one that's hidden just below the surface.

• Visit the Coded Spirituals webpage

Duration: (2:27)
Premiere Date: 02/05/2012
Episode Expires: Never
TV Rating: TV-PG
Closed Caption

CC

Underground Railroad: The William Still Story is made possible by CN Railway, the Rogers Cable Network, Canada Media Fund, The Rogers Documentary Fund, and by The Corporation for Public Broadcasting.

To view the full experience of this website, please download and install latest Adobe Flash Player version.

Did you know? Viewers like you are our largest single source of support.

Full episodes
1 VIDEOS

Underground Railroad: The William Still Story
55:15 Air Date 02/05/12
Previews
2 VIDEOS

Underground Railroad: The William Still Story Trailer
1:31 Air Date 02/19/12

Underground Railroad: The William Still Story Trailer No Air
1:30 Air Date 02/19/12
Shorts
6 VIDEOS

Coded Spirituals
2:27 Air Date 02/19/12

Origin of the name Underground Railroad
1:19 Air Date 02/19/12

Punishment
1:46 Air Date 02/19/12

Slavery and Freedom
3:16 Air Date 02/19/12

William Still's Place in History
2:18 Air Date 02/19/12

Fugitive Slave Act
2:15 Air Date 02/10/12