Thursday 19 January 2017

Rogue One : Go Down, Moses

"You'll be Free, or Die!"
- Harriet "Moses" Tubman

"Sistah knew enough to hurt the ones who got Cold Feet and tried to give themselves up and risk giving away the rest of the group...."
- Bro. Steve Cokely


Go down, Moses
’Way down in Egypt land,
Tell ole Pharaoh,
To let my people go.

When Israel was in Egypt’s land;
Let my people go,
Oppressed so hard they could not stand,
Let my people go.

“Thus spoke the Lord,” bold Moses said;
Let my people go,
If not I’ll smite your first born dead,
Let my people go.

Harriet Tubman Leading The Way

Tubman returned to the Eastern Shore again and again throughout the 1850s. She devised clever techniques that helped make sure her trips were successful, including using a master's horse and buggy for the first leg of the journey; leaving on a Saturday night, since runaway notices could not be placed in newspapers until Monday morning; turning about and heading south if she encountered possible slave hunters; and carrying a drug to silence a baby if its crying might put the fugitives in danger.

Tubman returned to the Eastern Shore again and again throughout the 1850s. She devised clever techniques that helped make sure her trips were successful, including using a master's horse and buggy for the first leg of the journey; leaving on a Saturday night, since runaway notices could not be placed in newspapers until Monday morning; turning about and heading south if she encountered possible slave hunters; and carrying a drug to silence a baby if its crying might put the fugitives in danger.

In 1850 the dynamics of escaping slavery changed with the passage of the Fugitive Slave Law, which stated that escaped slaves could be captured in the North and returned to slavery in the South, leading to the abduction of former slaves and free blacks living in Free States. Law enforcement officials in the North were compelled to aid in the capture of slaves, regardless of their personal principles.

In response to the law, Tubman re-routed the Underground Railroad to Canada, which prohibited slavery. She began relocating fugitives and members of her own family to St. Catharines, Ontario. While there she worked at various jobs and saved her earnings to finance her activities as a Conductor. North Street in St. Catharines remained her base of operations until 1857.

our nation's largest monument to the Underground Railroad
Image: This 28-foot long, 14-foot high bronze statue depicts Harriet Tubman (right) and local conductors Erastus and Sarah Hussey as they lead a group of runaway slaves to safety. Near the Kellogg House in downtown Battle Creek, Michigan, it was designed by sculptor Ed Dwight.

Tubman soon became a legendary conductor on the Underground Railroad. She worked by night in secret, silence and stealth, navigating by the North Star and the light of the moon. She let it be known she carried a gun for protection, but she also used it to threaten the runaways if they became too tired or decided to turn back, telling them, "You'll be free or die a slave." She knew that if anyone turned back, it would put her and the others in danger of discovery, capture or death.

By 1856, a $40,000 reward was offered for her capture. On one occasion, she overheard some men reading her wanted poster, which stated that she was illiterate. She promptly grabbed a newspaper and pretended to read it. The ploy worked. The slave catchers never caught her, their most wanted fugitive.



Underground Railroad Secret Codes

Supporters of the Underground Railroad used words railroad conductors employed everyday to create their own code as secret language in order to help slaves escape. 

Railroad language was chosen because the railroad was an emerging form of transportation and its communication language was not widespread. 

Code words would be used in letters to “agents” so that if they were intercepted they could not be caught. Underground Railroad code was also used in songs sung by slaves to communicate among each other without their masters being aware.

These are the most commonly used code words and their meanings:

Agent
Coordinator, who plotted courses of escape and made contacts.

Baggage
Fugitive slaves carried by Underground Railroad workers.

Bundles of wood
Fugitives that were expected.

Canaan
Canada

Conductor
Person who directly transported slaves

Drinking Gourd
Big Dipper and the North Star

Flying bondsmen
The number of escaping slaves

Forwarding
Taking slaves from station to station

Freedom train
The Underground Railroad

French leave
Sudden departure

Gospel train
The Underground Railroad

Heaven
Canada, freedom

Stockholder
Those who donated money, food, clothing.

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

Promised Land
Canada

River Jordan
Ohio River

Shepherds
People who encouraged slaves to escape and escorted them

Station
Place of safety and temporary refuge, a safe house

Station master
Keeper or owner of a safe house





Songs of the Underground Railroad
Songs were used in everyday life by African slaves. Singing was tradition brought from Africa by the first slaves; sometimes their songs are called spirituals. Singing served many purposes such as providing repetitive rhythm for repetitive manual work, inspiration and motivation. Singing was also use to express their values and solidarity with each other and during celebrations. Songs were used as tools to remember and communicate since the majority of slaves could not read.

Harriet Tubman and other slaves used songs as a strategy to communicate with slaves in their struggle for freedom. Coded songs contained words giving directions on how to escape also known as signal songs or where to meet known as map songs. 

Songs used Biblical references and analogies of Biblical people, places and stories, comparing them to their own history of slavery. For example, “being bound for the land of Canaan” for a white person could mean ready to die and go to heaven; but to a slave it meant ready to go to Canada.

These are the lyrics of some songs that have been passed along for generations.

In Wade in the Water

Tubman used “Wade in the Water” to tell slaves to get into the water to avoid being seen and make it through. This is an example of a map song, where directions are coded into the lyrics

These are the lyrics to “Wade in the Water”

Chorus: Wade in the Water, wade in the water children.

Wade in the Water. God’s gonna trouble the water.
Who are those children all dressed in Red?
God’s gonna trouble the water.
Must be the ones that Moses led.
God’s gonna trouble the water.

Chorus

Who are those children all dressed in White?
God’s gonna trouble the water.
Must be the ones of the Israelites.
God’s gonna trouble the water.

Chorus

Who are those children all dressed in Blue?
God’s gonna trouble the water.
Must be the ones that made it through.
God’s gonna trouble the water.

Chorus


Steal Away

This song communicates that the person singing it is planning to escape.

Chorus: steal away, steal away!

Steal away to Jesus?
Steal away, steal away home!
I ain’t got long to stay here!

My Lord calls me!
He calls me by the thunder!
The trumpet sound it in my soul!
I ain’t got long to stay here!

Chorus

My Lord calls me!
He calls me by the lighting!
The trumpet sound it in my soul!
I ain’t got long to stay here!

Chorus.


Sweet Chariot

If a slave heard this song he would know he had to be ready to escape, a band of angels are coming to take him to freedom. 

The Underground Railroad (sweet chariot) is coming south (swing low) to take the slave to the north or freedom (carry me home). 

This was one of Tubman’s favorite songs according to Sarah Hopkins Bradford’s biography, Scenes in the Life of Harriet Tubman.

Swing low, sweet chariot,
Coming for to carry me home,
Swing low, sweet chariot,
Coming for to carry me home.

I looked over Jordan and what did I see
Coming for to carry me home,
A band of angels coming after me,
Coming for to carry me home.

I you get there before I do,
Coming for to carry me home,
Tell all my friends that I’m coming, too,
Coming for to carry me home.


Follow the Drinking Gourd

This song suggests escaping in the spring as the days get longer. It also refers to quails which start calling each other in April. The drinking gourd is a water dipper which is a code name for the Big Dipper which points to the Pole Star towards the north. Moss grows on the north side of dead trees, so if the Big Dipper is not visible, dead trees will guide them north.

I When the Sun comes back
And the first quail calls
Follow the Drinking Gourd.
For the old man is a-waiting for to carry you to freedom
If you follow the Drinking Gourd.

The riverbank makes a very good road.
The dead trees will show you the way.
Left foot, peg foot, traveling on,
Follow the Drinking Gourd.

The river ends between two hills
Follow the Drinking Gourd.
There’s another river on the other side
Follow the Drinking Gourd.

When the great big river meets the little river
Follow the Drinking Gourd.
For the old man is a-waiting for to carry you to freedom
If you follow the drinking gourd.


Unnamed song sung by Harriet Tubman when approaching her group after taking a detour to get food for the day. This song lets them know it is safe to approach her. 
Source: Harriet Tubman, the Moses of her People by Sarah Hopkins Bradford.

Hail, oh hail, ye happy spirits,
Death no more shall make you fear,
Grief nor sorrow, pain nor anguish,
Shall no more distress you there.

Around Him are then thousand angels,
Always ready to obey command;
They are always hovering round you,
Till you reach the heavenly land.

Jesus, Jesus will go with you,
He will lead you to his throne;
He who died, has gone before you,
Through the wine-press all alone.

He whose thunders shake creation,
He who bids the planets roll;
He who rides upon the tempest,
And whose scepter sways the whole.


Another unnamed song sang in the same situation but letting them know it is not safe to come out, there is danger in the way.
Source: Harriet Tubman, the Moses of her People by Sarah Hopkins Bradford.

Chorus:
Oh go down, Moses,
Way down into Egypt’s land,
Tell old Pharaoh,
Let my people go.
Oh Pharaoh said he would go cross,
Let my people go,
And don’t get lost in the wilderness,
Let my people go.
Chorus
You may hinder me here, but you can’t up there,
Let my people go,
He sits in the Heaven and answeres prayer,
Let my people go!
Chorus

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