Between 1830 and 1860, thousands of Southern slaves escaped to the North and Canada by way of the "underground railroad." Neither underground nor a railroad, this secret network had "conductors" (persons who helped runaway slaves on their journey north) and "stations" (stopping places along the way).
Artist Peter Copeland portrays scenes from this grim period in American history in 45 dramatically rendered illustrations that include shocking views of "below decks" aboard a slave ship, slave pens, a family being seized by slave catchers, methods of punishing runaway slaves, an escaped slave with Seminole Indians, John Brown on the way to his execution, refugees arriving at a safe house, and more.
Also included are portraits of abolitionist and former slave Frederick Douglass; Congressman Thaddeus Stevens; Harriet Beecher Stowe, the author of Uncle Tom's Cabin; Laura Haviland, a "conductor" on the underground railroad; and other figures associated with the abolitionist cause.
Informative, fact-filled captions complete a book that will not only thrill coloring book enthusiasts but will also fascinate students of American history and anyone interested in the African-American struggle for freedom.