Underground Railroad Secret Letter
Summary
Students will pretend to be a part of the Underground Railroad
helping transport fugitive slaves from station to the next. Students
will use the secret words and phrases sheet to hand-write a letter
to another conductor. Students should include dates that are relevant to the time of year the escapes take place, the season, the
weather, etc.
Objectives
At the end of this activity, students should be able to :

Get a better understand of terminology by conductors used to
transport slaves.

Understand the group efforts it took to successfully transport
slaves from one station to another.

Understand how secretive/undercover conductors had to be in
order to help the oppressed.
Opening Questions/Setting
What do you think it was like for a conductor on the Underground
Railroad? Do you think these words/phrases make sense as to what
they are hiding? Would you feel comfortable mailing a letter out to
another conductor knowing you have the chance of getting
caught?
Suggested Procedure
1. Hand out the attached Underground Railroad Secret Word &
Phrases handout sheet to each student
2. Encourage students to imagine they are an Underground Railroad conductor who is writing a letter to another conductor in a
neighboring state. Have students include seven secret words
and three secret phrases into their letter. Also, have students
underline each term used.
Subjects
American History
African-American History
Duration
1 Hour
Materials
Underground Railroad
Secret Word & Phrases
(Attached)
Loose-leaf paper
Pen or Pencil
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.4.1
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.5.1
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.4.4
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.4.4
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.5..4
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.4.2.B
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.6.2.B
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.7.2.B
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.8.2.B
Assessment
After the students have completed the assignment have them answer the following questions
individually or in class:
1. What do you think of the secret terms used by the Underground Railroad conductors?
Was it confusing? Easy to understand?
2. Would you be able to mail your letter out with the chance of getting caught? Many conductors took this risk, however, they also risked their lives, families, and the law.
Used as part of the BCPL Local History & Genealogy Underground Railroad in Boone County Teacher Kit for educational purposes.
The UGRR Secret words and phrases activity was adapted from the Kennedy Center, Arts Web Foundation and modified to fit
BCPL’s UGRR Teacher Kit.
Underground Railroad Secret Words and Phrases Abolitionist ‐ Person who demanded an immediate end to slavery. Agent ‐ Someone who coordinates escapes for slaves Baggage, boxes, parcel, packages, passengers ‐ Fugitive slaves Brakeman ‐ Someone who helps fugitives find jobs and homes when they reach freedom Bundles of wood ‐ Fugitives that were expected. Canaan ‐ Canada. Conductor ‐ Person who guides or escorts slaves Drinking Gourd ‐ Big Dipper and the North Star Flying bondsmen ‐ The number of escaping slaves. Forwarding ‐ To move slaves between stations Freedom Train, Gospel Train ‐ The Underground Railroad. French leave ‐ Secret departure. Heaven, Promised Land ‐ Canada Jumping off place ‐ Place of shelter for fugitives. Load of potatoes ‐ Escaping slaves hidden under farm produce in a wagon. Moses ‐ Harriet Tubman. Operator ‐ Person who helped freedom seekers as a conductor or agent. Parcel ‐ Fugitives that were expected. Patter roller ‐ Bounty hunter hired to capture slaves. Preachers ‐ Leaders of and spokespersons for the Underground Railroad. River Jordan ‐ Ohio River. Station ‐ Place of safety and temporary refuge, a safe house. Stationmaster ‐ Someone who provides shelter for fugitives Shepherds ‐ People who encouraged slaves to escape and escorted them. Stockholder ‐ someone who gave money, clothing or food to the Underground Railroad. PHRASES The wind blows from the South today — A warning that slave bounty hunters were nearby. A friend with friends — A password used to signal arrival of fugitives with an Underground Railroad conductor. A friend of a friend sent me — A password used by fugitives traveling alone to indicate they were sent by the Underground Railroad network. When the sun comes back and the first quail calls — Early spring, a particular time of year good for escaping. The river bank makes a mighty good road — A reminder that tracking dogs could not follow the scent of fugitives through the water. The dead trees will show you the way — A reminder that moss grows on the north side of dead trees, so if the North Star were not visible, they would know which way to walk. Left foot, peg foot — A visual clue for escapees left by an Underground Railroad worker famous for his wooden leg. The river ends between two hills — The Tombigbee River in Mississippi. When the great big river meets the little river — The Ohio River and its tributaries. Steal away, steal away, steal away to Jesus — Used to alert other slaves that an escape attempt was anticipated. Lost a passenger ‐ A runaway slave has been caught Used as part of the BCPL Local History & Genealogy Underground Railroad in Boone County Teacher Kit for educational purposes. The UGRR Secret words and phrases activity was adapted from the Kennedy Center, Arts Web Foundation and modified to fit BCPL’s UGRR Teacher Kit.