Sunday Favorites: Angola and the Underground Railroad

The Underground Railroad defied its literal name, lacking both buried tunnels and steel tracks. Instead, it operated covertly to protect those involved, using railway terms as secret codes. Originating around 1825, coinciding with the rise of railroads, this covert language shielded their efforts from detection. This secrecy, crucial for the safety of fleeing individuals, metaphorically kept the operation 'underground,' hidden from those upholding slavery, as highlighted by Sherry Svekis in her 2019 presentation to the Manatee County Historical Society.

The secret language of the Underground Railroad facilitated the movement of freedom seekers. Agents organized routes, while fugitive slaves were referred to as "baggage," "freight," or "cargo." Male escapees were dubbed "hardware," and females were called "dry goods." A fugitive expected to arrive was termed a "parcel" or "bundle of wood." Conductors transported freedom seekers, sometimes hiding them underneath farm produce, in this instance they were called "a bag of potatoes." Stations provided safe shelter, managed by stationmasters. Conductors used the phrase "I'm a friend with friends" to gain entry. Travel often occurred at night, guided by the stars, with the Big Dipper, or "Drinking Gourd," serving as a key navigational aide, according to the Glossary of Underground Railroad Terms compiled by Owen Sounds Black History. 

The Manatee Mineral Spring was likely the site of the village of Angola.

From 1810-1850, researchers believe that nearly 100,000 people escaped slavery using the Underground Railroad. Slave ownership was not regional; American citizens of all regions owned “human property” at one time.  However, most of the freedom seekers came from the upper northern states that bordered the free states, such as Kentucky, Virginia, and Maryland. Very few escaped North from the Deep South.

The Underground Railroad operated without a clearly defined path. Individuals were offered shelter and transportation, while small, independent support groups were formed. Participants typically knew only select connections in the network, maintaining secrecy and minimizing the risk of infiltration. Despite the illegality of their endeavors, people of diverse races and genders engaged in widespread defiance. Assistance extended from enslaved individuals and free blacks to Native Americans, and individuals of various religious beliefs, and ethnic backgrounds.

This narrative of the Underground Railroad—an organized endeavor aimed at aiding enslaved individuals in reaching the Ohio River, guiding them by the North Star, and ultimately facilitating their journey to Canada, is one we grew up learning about. However, that changed in the 1990s with the Underground Railroad Network to Freedom Act of 1998, which broadened the Underground Railroad's definition, encompassing all forms of resistance to enslavement, including escape and flight until the conclusion of the Civil War. This expanded view no longer confines the concept to merely a network of hiding places and aiding individuals but acknowledges the active endeavors of enslaved African Americans themselves to break free from bondage. Wherever slavery existed, there existed concurrent efforts to escape its chains.

In the next few weeks, we'll explore the tales of two groups of black Americans who bravely fought for their freedom in the rugged lands of Florida territory. Their journey led them here, to Manatee County, where they found a brief respite, living peacefully in the village of Angola. Stay tuned as we explore the Underground Railroad of Florida.