Runaway Slaves
Running away was another form of resistance. Slaves who ran away most often did so for a short period of time. These runaway slaves might hide in a nearby forest or visit a relative or spouse on another plantation. They did so to escape a harsh punishment that had been threatened, to obtain relief from a heavy workload, or just to escape the drudgery of everyday life under slavery.
Others were able to run away and escape slavery permanently. When Northern states began to abolish slavery after the Revolutionary War, the North came to symbolize freedom to many slaves who spread word that following the North Star could lead to freedom.
Spirituals could contain hidden instructions. For instance, the spiritual "Follow the Drinking Gourd" made reference to the Big Dipper and the North Star and was likely used to guide slaves north to Canada.
The Risks of Fleeing
Running away was difficult; slaves had to leave behind family members and risk harsh punishment or even death if caught. Many of the successful runaways only triumphed after multiple attempts. More slaves escaped from the upper South than from the lower South, as they were nearer to the North and thus freedom. Young men had the easiest time of running away; they were more likely to be sold away from their families, including their children. Young men were also sometimes "hired out" to other plantations or sent on errands, so they could more easily come up with a cover story for being on their own.
A network of sympathetic individuals who helped slaves escape to the North emerged by the 19th century. This network earned the name the "Underground Railroad" in the 1830s. Harriet Tubman is the best known "conductor" of the Underground Railroad, helping over 200 other slaves escape after she herself reached freedom in 1849.
But most runaway slaves were on their own, especially while they were still in the South. Runaway slaves would often choose holidays or days off to give them extra lead time (before being missed in the fields or at work). Many fled on foot, coming up with ways to throw off dogs in pursuit, such as using pepper to disguise their scents. Some stole horses or even stowed away on ships to escape slavery.
Historians are unsure of how many slaves permanently escaped. An estimated 100,000 fled to freedom over the course of the 19th century, according to James A. Banks in March Toward Freedom: A History of Black Americans (1970).
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