Underground Railroad, Not a Subway by Schroeder Cherry

[Music] [Music] have you ever lost something something you wanted back real bad sometimes we lose things because we forget where we left them where'd I put my hat and we spend lots of time looking for it but sometimes we lose something because it up and went away just gone didn't ask you if it could go didn't tell you where it was going just gone, well this here is a story about going and gone it's also a story about losing and getting see when we lose something sometimes what we lost is getting something else I think there's somebody here who can help me explain I'll see y'all a little later where'd he go?

it's mine, I paid good money for it and it's mine did you see it, can you tell me where it is?

I know nobody stole it so it must have run away well I want it back and I want it back now I'm the one that feeds it, I gives it a good home and I takes care of it so it's mine right?

right, oh there it is, I see in the river that's Tice that's the Ohio River he can't get across that river if he does, he won't be in Kentucky no more he'll be in Ohio and Ohio won't give me back my slave won't be getting back nothing, just be losing my property I'll just keep an eye on him and run down this here river edge along to bank, hey I'll get a boat and cross the river first if I can beat him to the other side, I can catch him and he'll still be my slave then I'll show him who's master yes sir, I sure will [whooshing sounds] I'm going to get this here boat, keep an eye out on him [whooshing sounds] keep him in sight while I tie this boat yes sir, there he is swimming in the river boy I have a surprise for you [whooshing sounds] underground railroad, not a subway people travel farther northway they walk, run, swim, travel far follow the drinking gourd [whooshing sound] did you hear about Tice Davids?

yeah, sure did, heard he got away clean I heard he got away on the Underground Railroad.

that's right, ain't that something?

mhm, um what's an underground railroad?

well it's not a thing you can see exactly.

well what is it?

it's something that helps slaves get to freedom.

oh.

it's a secret you see so why do they call it the Underground Railroad?

well what's the fastest thing moving today?

a horse?

- nope oh a railroad train.

yep and Tice had to be moving some kind of fast to get away.

only thing is nobody saw him so he was out of sight underground maybe all those slaves that run away to freedom we say they took the Underground Railroad cuz they go fast and nobody sees them running away mmm.

[laughs] running on to freedom I want to take the Underground Railroad.

shhh, oh it's dangerous boy you ever been away from this here farm?

no but I know I can get away and I don't want to be no slave all my life well you might think you getting freedom but you could be losing your life slave catchers will hunt you down with dogs they'll catch you and bring you back you probably get a beatin' that's what you'll get no you be careful who you mention the Underground Railroad to yes ma'am well I got work to do and so does you yes ma'am [sighs] I have to be careful who I talk about the Underground Railroad to I shouldn't enough don't want to get in no trouble no sir but I'm thinking about the Underground Railroad all the time Underground Railroad not a subway people travel farther northway they walk, run, swim, travel far follow the drinking gourd Underground Railroad had conductors help the slaves get away to freedom black, brown, red, and white they help the slave stay out of sight psst, psst, psst you looking to run away with the Underground Railroad?

who told you that?

don't you never no mind who done told me is you or is you ain't running away with the Underground Railroad?

well I don't rightly know I ain't found the Underground Railroad yet how can I run away on something I ain't seen yet?

well listen close cuz I'll tell you what to do you wait until the night time comes in the sky and the sky gets real dark then you look and you find the Drinking Gourd seven stars in the shape of the big dipper, see?

okay then you looks for the biggest star that's the North Star you follow that star and you'll be heading in the right direction North and then what?

well I'm going to tell you and then what if you just hold your horses there is a farm about five miles from here go there and somebody will help you knock on the door and when they say who is it?

it's a friend I'm following the North Star, the drinking gourds but what about the slave catchers?

stay away from them and the dogs?

stay away from them too now get Underground Railroad not a subway people travel farther Northway they walk, run, swim, travel far follow the drinking gourd Underground Railroad had conductors help the slaves get away to freedom black, brown, red, and white they help the slaves stay out of sight [clapping] late that night Kyle packed a small sack with some food, he dressed real warm and he snuck away from the farm into the woods first I have to find the Drinking Gourd seven stars in the shape of a big dipper okay I see it now the North Star there it is that's the biggest star in the sky so that must be it and I must be crazy I can't, I can't do this I don't know where I'm going but I don't want to be no slave all my life so here I go Kyle followed the North Star and the directions the mysterious woman gave him until he reached a small farm he went up to the cabin and knocked on the door [knocking] who is there?

a friend, I'm following the Drinking Gourd and the North Star just a moment when the door opened Kyle went inside he saw a small man and a woman they were both white Kyle was very scared I am a friend and I am following the North Star and the drinking guard you may stay here tonight and rest we have some food not much but enough to share with a friend tomorrow morning you'll come with me in the back of my cart you can hide under the hay no one will know you are there where are we going?

to the next station a what?

another house where someone will help you get to where you're going there are others escaping you won't be alone, now eat and rest the journey tomorrow is long you can sleep in the barn Kyle rested and he ate but he could not sleep he was too excited thinking about the North Star \ and the Drinking Gourd and these strangers who were helping him get to where he wanted to go in the morning Kyle joined three other runaways in the back of the cart, they hid under the straw they were very, very quiet [clip clopping noises] the ride was bumpy but they didn't make a sound [clip clopping noises] it was dark but they didn't make a sound [clip clopping noises] they didn't know where they were going but they didn't make a sound [clip clopping noises] whoa there whoa there you seen any runaway slaves around here?

we looking for runaway slaves pay good reward money if you catch them my, good money is hard to come by I'll remember that we're looking for a runaway slave by the name of Moses named Harriet Tubman, we're offering a reward of $40,000 to catch her $40,000 is a lot of money what did this Harriet Tubman this Moses do?

she's a troublemaker is what been in and out of here some 19 times and took away over 300 slaves so we got a reward, we're going to catch her too we going to catch you as soon as we can so you seen her run away slaves you know what to do sure do, I'll keep that in mind as I roll on around here doing my journey and my chores if I see any runaway slaves I'll keep that reward money in mind all right - good day oh giddy up oh let's go [clip clopping noises] Underground Railroad not a subway people travel farther northway they walk, run, swim, travel far follow the drinking gourd Harriet Tubman was a conductor lots of people wanted to catch her did they catch her uh-uh hoo they catch her uh-uh oh no $100, 200, 300, more Harriet Tubman had a reward did they catch her uh-uh no did they catch her uh-uh oh no [clip clopping noises] the cart traveled a long time with Kyle and the others in the back it was a bumpy ride but Kyle was excited they finally came to another house there they were given some food and warm clothes and they rested a while the people who helped them were called conductors they helped slaves escape to the North the man with the cart went back home now Kyle and the others had to walk to the next station they waited until night to move through the woods and they were very, very careful not to let anyone see them or hear them Underground Railroad not a subway people travel farther Northway they walk, run, swim, travel far follow that drinking gourd when they heard horses coming, they hid until the horses passed [clip clopping noises] they kept following the Drinking Gourd the Big Dipper and the North Star it was dark at night and scary they thought about turning back but Kyle knew that if he did he would get a beatin' so his freedom would be gone, lost so they kept moving sleeping in the woods moving quickly at night eating whatever they could find Kyle saw a reward sign but he could not read most slaves were not allowed to read someone read the reward sign for him reward runaway slave 18 years old by name of Mindy 5 foot 6 in tall dark skin with long black hair has cut over right eye wanted alive and unharmed $150 people Underground Railroad not a subway people travel farther Northway they walk, run, swim travel far following the drinking gourd [clapping] the reward sign gave Kyle the willies he wondered if there was a reward sign for him by and by Kyle and the others reached New York a free state they felt so happy to be free haha!

here I am New York City, a free state what am I going to do with my freedom?

well we'll just see I don't have to do nothing at all, at all, at all so Mr Kyle what are you going to do on your free day well I think I will do nothing, nothing, nothing absolutely nothing at all that's what I'm going to do but Kyle did not know about a brand new law that law would change his mind real fast there's a new law it's the fugitive slave law what does that mean?

what does it mean?

I'll tell you what it means it means that any runaway slaves can be caught and sent back to their rightful masters you mean back into slavery?

that's right, where they belong slaves belong to their masters just 'cause they run away don't change nothing masters, good masters all over the South losing their slaves and we wants 'em back and we wants 'em back now I knows all about about that Underground Railroad too but if slaves make it to the North they are no longer in a slave state so they would be free no, no, no, this new law says we can catch runaways in the North and send them back back to where they belong say you look like you could be a runway no sir I was born in the North I have always been free and I have never been a slave I have not even lived in the South is that right?

yes sir, it is so you have any free papers to show that you're not a runaway slave not one of them runaways that gets North and gets all gussied up and fancy and smart acting huh you got any papers?

yes sir, I do well that don't mean nothing I hear that runaway slave Frederick Douglas learned how to read and write wrote his own free papers how do I know you ain't wrote your own free papers?

I did not I am a free Black I was born free, I have never been a slave is that right?

well, we'll just see about that I'm taking you with me fancy something like you is worth a lot of money no, let me alone now, now, it ain't so bad you might like it no - come on no, no hmm, well I'll get you with this fugitive slave law I'll catch you and send you to a good master in the South you see how good for you slavery is I knows all about that Underground Railroad Underground Railroad not a subway people travel farther Northway they walk, run, swim, travel far follow that drinking gourd slaves are not allowed to read laws were written to claim this deed Frederick Douglas learned to read he plotted and schemed until he was freed Underground Railroad not a subway people travel farther Northway they walk, run, swim, travel far following that Drinking Gourd Kyle, you are not safe anymore here in New York what?

what are you talking about?

I run all this way with the Underground Railroad I'm free now no, no, you are not listen to me and listen good you got to go further away you got to go to Canada that's the only way you'll be safe Canada?

why I got to go to Canada and where is this Canada anyway?

far away but you can follow the North Star again this new fugitive slave law still makes you a slave if you stay in New York you could be sold back into slavery no, no, no, uh-uh I'm going to Canada I don't care how far it is I'm not being no slave no more just when I thought I was free [sighs] good luck Kyle thanks I'm on my way to Canada [sighs] I'm on my way to Canada that cold and dreary land the sad effects of slavery I can't no longer stand I've served my master all my days without a dime reward and now I'm forced to run away to free the lash abroad farewell oh master don't think hard of me I'm traveling on to Canada where all the slaves are free [humming song] Kyle when all the way to Canada to get his freedom you remember what I said earlier about getting and losing?

well Kyle was getting his freedom but his slave master was losing his slave Kyle was gone a runaway Kyle was lucky though not every slave got his or her freedom runaways were caught and sent back into slavery some were killed but there were those runaways who went all the way to Canada some didn't go to Canada some stayed in the North even with the fugitive slave law which caused a heap of commotion there were so many people who helped slaves escape even after that new law we don't know all of the people by name this went on for a long time then the war broke out North against South the Civil War but that's another story this here story is about well, you know Underground Railroad not a subway people travel farther Northway walk, run, swim travel far follow the drinking gourd Underground Railroad had conductors helped the slaves get away to freedom Black, brown, red, and white they help the slaves stay out of sight Underground Railroad not a subway people travel farther Northway walk, run, swim travel far follow the drinking gourd Harriet Tubman was a conductor lots of people wanted to catch her did the catch her?

uh-uh, oh no did the catch her?

uh-uh, oh no $100, 200, 300, more Harriet Tubman had a reward did they catch her?

uh-uh, oh no did they catch her?

uh-uh, oh no Underground Railroad not a subway people travel father Northway walk, run, swim travel far follow the drinking gourd slaves were not allowed to read laws were written to claim this deed r Frederick Douglass learned to read he plotted and schemed till he was free Underground Railroad not a subway people travel farther Northway walk, run, swim travel far follow the drinking gourd Underground Railroad not a subway people travel farther Northway walk, run, swim travel far follow the drinking gourd Underground Railroad not a subway people travel farther Northway walk, run, swim travel far follow the drinking gourd and that's our story for today