Hagedorn, Ann. Beyond the River. New York: Simon & Schuster, 2002. E 450.H165 2004
This is a narrative book telling about the Ohio part of the Underground Railroad. At Ripley, Ohio in 1838, the water of the Ohio River became so frozen that people could skate and walk across it easily as compared to other years. This tells about the heroes, especially John Rankin, in what became known as the Ripley Line.
Drew, Benjamin. A North-side view of slavery : The refugee; or, The narratives of fugitive slaves in Canada related by themselves. With an account of the history and condition of the colored population of upper Canada. New York: Negro Universities Press, 1968. E 450.D77 1968
This is a primary source type of work because it contains the recountings of former slaves, some famous but many not, of their escapes from slavery by means of the Railroad. It is organized by the Canadian city to which they escaped and then by the person's name. Some entries are a few paragraphs long and some are a few pages. Each person tells about their life as a slave, how they escaped, and their life in Canada.
Pennington, James W. The fugitive blacksmith; or, Events in the history of James W. C. Pennington. Westport, Connecticut: Negro Universities Press, 1971. E450.P42 1971
This is a narrative where the author gives the events of his own escape from slavery. It is a reprinting and was originally published in 1850. He was able to get out of Maryland with the help of Quakers in Chester County, Pennsylvania and later became a teacher. Since it is an actual account of how he used the Railroad, it makes this work a primary source.
Still, William. The Underground Rail Road. Philadelphia: Porter and Coates, 1992. E450.S857U5 1992
This is another primary source because the author recounts the narratives and facts about and from slaves they rescued on the Philadelphia branch of the Railroad. He writes in 1871 to be able to reunite families and this book is a reprint of his original published in 1872. During the active time of the Railroad, it was necessary to be as secretive as possible to protect everyone involved. Engravings are included to help illustrate the plight of the slaves. Correspondence from and about Levi Coffin and Harriet Tubman, two of the most famous people on the Railroad are included.
