Essential Questions (Historical Figure, Historical Process)

Transcription

1 Michelle Johnson Helena Middle School 8 th Grade English Teaching American History Essential Questions (Historical Figure, Historical Process) 1. What was the Underground Railroad? Explain it. 2. What was the Fugitive Slave Law? Explain it and the implications for runaway slaves. 3. Who was Harriet Tubman? How did she contribute efforts to end slavery in America? 4. How did folk tales play an important role in the Underground Railroad and slaves freedom?

2 Harriet Tubman: Conductor on the Underground Railroad English Language Arts Standards» Reading: Informational Text» Grade 8 Key Ideas and Details RI.8.1. Cite the textual evidence that most strongly supports an analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text. RI.8.2. Determine a central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text, including its relationship to supporting ideas; provide an objective summary of the text. RI.8.3. Analyze how a text makes connections among and distinctions between individuals, ideas, or events (e.g., through comparisons, analogies, or categories). English Language Arts Standards» History/Social Studies» Grades 6 8 Key Ideas and Details RH Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of primary and secondary sources. RH Determine the central ideas or information of a primary or secondary source; provide an accurate summary of the source distinct from prior knowledge or opinions. RH Identify key steps in a textʼs description of a process related to history/social studies (e.g., how a bill becomes law, how interest rates are raised or lowered). Integration of Knowledge and Ideas RH Integrate visual information (e.g., in charts, graphs, photographs, videos, or maps) with other information in print and digital texts. RH Distinguish among fact, opinion, and reasoned judgment in a text. RH Analyze the relationship between a primary and secondary source on the same topic.

3 People & Events The Underground Railroad c Resource Bank Contents The Underground Railroad, a vast network of people who helped fugitive slaves escape to the North and to Canada, was not run by any single organization or person. Rather, it consisted of many individuals -- many whites but predominently black -- who knew only of the local efforts to aid fugitives and not of the overall operation. Still, it effectively moved hundreds of slaves northward each year -- according to one estimate, the South lost 100,000 slaves between 1810 and An organized system to assist runaway slaves seems to have begun towards the end of the 18th century. In 1786 George Washington complained about how one of his runaway slaves was helped by a "society of Quakers, formed for such purposes." The system grew, and around 1831 it was dubbed "The Underground Railroad," after the then emerging steam railroads. The system even used terms used in railroading: the homes and businesses where fugitives would rest and eat were called "stations" and "depots" and were run by "stationmasters," those who contributed money or goods were "stockholders," and the "conductor" was responsible for moving fugitives from one station to the next. For the slave, running away to the North was anything but easy. The first step was to escape from the slaveholder. For many slaves, this meant relying on his or her own resources. Sometimes a "conductor," posing as a slave, would enter a plantation and then guide the runaways northward. The fugitives would move at night. They would generally travel between 10 and 20 miles to the next station, where they would rest and eat, hiding in barns and other out-of-the-way places. While they waited, a message would be sent to the next station to alert its stationmaster. The fugitives would also travel by train and boat -- conveyances that sometimes had to be paid for. Money was also needed to improve the appearance of the runaways -- a black man, woman, or child in tattered clothes would invariably attract suspicious eyes. This money was donated by individuals and also raised by various groups, including vigilance committees. Vigilance committees sprang up in the larger towns and cities of the North, most prominently in New York, Philadelphia, and Boston. In addition to soliciting money, the organizations provided food, lodging and money, and helped the fugitives settle into a community by helping them find jobs and providing letters of recommendation. The Underground Railroad had many notable participants, including John Fairfield in Ohio, the son of a slaveholding family, who made many daring rescues, Levi Coffin, a Quaker who assisted more than 3,000 slaves, and Harriet Tubman, who made 19 trips into the South and escorted over 300 slaves to freedom.

4 Reference: Africans in America - PBS

5 Harriet Tubman: Conductor on the Underground Railroad Focus on Literature Excerpt by: Ann Petry Literature/History Lessons 2-3 Days Objective: To read and analyze a chapter from a novel about the life of Harriet Tubman To understand the creation and the impact of the Underground Railroad To identify the impact of the Fugitive Slave Law on runaway slaves and their safety in the North To create a children s book similar to Follow the Drinking Gourd based on a code slave story Day 1: Students will take the pre test regarding Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad. Next, students will begin reading the information regarding the Underground Railroad from Africans in America, The Underground Railroad, PBS, summary of the historic process. Students will then read aloud in their small groups. Students will utilize the formal outline process. (See attached document: Underground Railroad Formal Outline) This serves as an assessment of their understanding and the basic scaffolding for the content information. Next, students will work in small groups to analyze and complete the Primary Document Handout for four primary sources, Abolitionist Poster, Runaway Slave Painting, Kidnapping Poster, and Newspaper Want Ads. Students will answer the six questions for each document. Day 2 Introduce Harriet Tubman using the video clip, Harriet Tubman, from the Biography Channel, 7 minutes. Read to the students Follow the Drinking Gourd by Jeanette Winters, discuss the messages in the spiritual. Introduce the vocabulary on page 479 on the Glencoe Literature book. Students will say the words aloud together and review the definitions. Students will interpret the oil painting on page 480, Harriet Tubman, c. 1945, William Johnson, from the National Museum of American Art, Washington, DC. Next, teacher will read aloud the first two paragraphs and class will discuss the form of the non fiction piece of writing. Students will then read silently the story. Students will think pair share with details from the story. Day 3 Read Follow the Drinking Gourd again as an introduction to the student project. Then using excerpts from Eliza s Freedom Road An Underground Railroad Diary by Jerdine Nolen, discuss the symbols and communication used in each story. Pass out four folk stories to students. Students will read the folk tale and analyze its content. Students will use highlighters to identify important details. Next students will re create the story in a children s book using illustrations and a summary of the story. After ample time to create their storybook, students will share their folk tale with illustrations. They will include an analysis of why this story was told and why it was important to runaway slaves. Finally, students will take the post test regarding Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad.

6 Name: THE FUGITIVE SLAVE LAW --- USING DIFFERENT VIEWPOINTS Image: 1) Look at the image/document. What is the first image/word/emotion, etc. that you notice? 2) Who do you think created this image/document, and WHY was it created? 3) Who is the intended audience? 4) How would a free slave view this image? 5) How would a slave view this image? 6) How would a slaveholder view this image/document? Image: 1) Look at the image/document. What is the first image/word/emotion, etc. that you notice? 2) Who do you think created this image/document, and WHY was it created? 3) Who is the intended audience? 4) How would a free slave view this image? 5) How would a slave view this image? 6) How would a slaveholder view this image/document?

7 THE FUGITIVE SLAVE LAW --- USING DIFFERENT VIEWPOINTS Image: 1) Look at the image/document. What is the first image/word/emotion, etc. that you notice? 2) Who do you think created this image/document, and WHY was it created? 3) Who is the intended audience? 4) How would a free slave view this image? 5) How would a slave view this image? 6) How would a slaveholder view this image/document? Image: 1) Look at the image/document. What is the first image/word/emotion, etc. that you notice? 2) Who do you think created this image/document, and WHY was it created? 3) Who is the intended audience? 4) How would a free slave view this image? 5) How would a slave view this image? 6) How would a slaveholder view this image/document?

8 Harriet Tubman: Conductor of the Underground Railroad Answer each question with YES or NO. If the answer is yes, please explain what you know. Post-Test 1. I know what the Underground Railroad is and can explain it. If yes, explain. 2. I know what the Fugitive Slave Law is and can explain it. If yes, explain. 3. I know who Harriet Tubman is and can explain some things about her. If yes, explain. 4. I know how Harriet Tubman used her powers of persuasion to keep the runaways going. If yes, explain. 5. I understand why Harriet Tubman could not let any runaways return to their former homes. If yes, explain.

9 : Children's Book Objective Exceeds 4 pts Meets 3 pts Approaches 2 pts Misses 1 pts No Attempt 0 pts Cover Page Exceeds The cover page contains all of the required items and is neat and attractive. Meets Expectation s The cover page contains the required items but lacks in presentation. Approaches One of the required items is missing from the cover page. Misses Multiple required items are missing from the cover page. No Attempt The cover page is missing or of unacceptable quality. Images Exceeds All pages include images, and the images you used are very clear and unmistakably identify the corresponding description. Meets Expectation s All pages include images, and the images are generally clear and understandable. Approaches Some of the images do not seem to match their corresponding description, or some of the pages are missing images. Misses Many of the images are vague, unclear, or missing. No Attempt None of the images correspond with the description, or you did not include any images. Sentences Exceeds You included all of the necessary questions and sentences on each page. Meets Expectation s You included at least one sentence or question per page. Approaches A few sentences were missing, or you only used words and/or phrases for some. Misses Some or many of the sentences were missing, or you mostly used just words and/or phrases. No Attempt You did not include any sentences.

10 Language Use Exceeds You took risks with the language and showed a solid understanding of the concepts you've learned. Meets Expectation s Language use was accurate for the most part; any minor errors did not interfere with comprehension. Approaches There were patterns of minor errors consistent throughout your writing. Misses The writing consistently contained errors. No Attempt There is not enough language usage to evaluate. Creativity/ Effort Exceeds You added various elements beyond what was required to make your project unique. Meets Expectation s You did some basic things to make your project more creative. Approaches The presentation of your project is very straightforward and includes hardly any creative aspects. Misses There might be an attempt at creativity, but it was not evident. No Attempt There is no creativity evident in the project.

11 Name Harriet Tubman: Conductor of the Underground Railroad Answer each question with YES or NO. If the answer is yes, please explain what you know. Pre-Test 1. I know what the Underground Railroad is and can explain it. If yes, explain. 2. I know what the Fugitive Slave Law is and can explain it. If yes, explain. 3. I know who Harriet Tubman is and can explain some things about her. If yes, explain. 4. I know how Harriet Tubman used her powers of persuasion to keep the runaways going. If yes, explain. 5. I understand why Harriet Tubman could not let any runaways return to their former homes. If yes, explain.

12 Works Cited Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad Michelle Johnson- Helena Middle School Grade 8 - English "Caution, Colored People of Boston." The Lost Museum American Social History Productions. 23 Apr 2008 < (Primary source poster to discuss Fugitive Slave Law s effect on free blacks) Eastman Johnson - A Ride for Liberty -- The Fugitive Slaves - Oil on paperboard - 22 x in - c Scanned from Eastman Johnson: Painting America. Eliza s Freedom Road An Underground Railroad Diary by Jerdine Nolen. Follow the Drinking Gourd by Jeanette Winters. Fugative Slave Act. "George Fitzhugh Advocates Slavery." Africans in America WGBH Educational Foundation. 23 Apr 2008 < (Another primary source defending slavery. George Fitzhugh was a Virginia lawyer and the author of several books and articles advocating slavery. Harriet Tubman. PBS: Africans in America. Petry, Ann. Harriet Tubman: Conductor on the Underground Railroad. Glencoe Literature. McGraw Hill "Runaway Slave Ads." AfriGeneas: African American & African Ancestored Geneology AfriGeneas. 23 Apr 2008 < (Actual runaway slave advertisements from the Baltimore Sun) Underground Railroad. PBS: Africans in America.

13 Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad Michelle Johnson Helena Middle School Grade 8 - English Reflection Journal of Lesson The lessons I have taught have been to my reading class, grades 7-8. The 8 th graders have a limited amount of background on the Civil War and slavery. The 7 th graders have not had any recent information on this topic since maybe 5 th grade. Needless to say, they were very interested and wanted to learn more. We have read Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry this year. It is a story of a black family in Mississippi in the 1930 s. The family owns the land that they work, which they were able to buy/secure during Reconstruction. They face many prejudices and much racism throughout the book; therefore, this Harriet Tubman lesson becomes even more relevant to my students. My students have also read short biographies and historical stories about Martin Luther King, Jr. and Rosa Parks this year. Next year, I will use this lesson before working on the aforementioned stories. This will give the students a brief, but succinct lesson in slavery and freedom before jumping into the struggles of African Americans in American in the 20 th century. The pre-test showed what I expected; the students had an almost non-existent knowledge of the Underground Railroad and Harriet Tubman. To introduce some basic content knowledge, we used the process of formal outlining. This is a crucial skill all students need to become independent with and this was the perfect lesson to use it. We delved into the primary documents with an excellent questioning sheet. We used the same six questions for all the documents. Of course, I lead them through the first document and questions whole group. Next, they worked in small groups, then in partner groups and finally worked independently to answer the questions on the final primary source. We always came back as a whole group to discuss our findings. The students enjoyed the story about Harriet Tubman in the literature book. We had to go through it aloud as a whole group because of the reading level, but this provoked great discussion and better comprehension. I supplemented their knowledge base with short clips from the History Channel, Biography and PBS kids. After these couple days of information about Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad, I introduced the story of The Drinking Gourd. The students understood the hidden meanings and need for secrecy in the story for the Underground Railroad. Then I shared the folk tales with them from the book Eliza s Freedom Road. This activity of reading, highlighting and creating

14 worked very well. The students were very engaged in the folk tale and understood the importance of the alternate meanings in the stories for the runaway slaves. They also utilized their creativity in the children s books. The students met my expectations and met the goals on the rubric as well. In the end, I gave the post-test about Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad. I felt like generally, if they were in attendance and paying attention, they learned a great deal. I am sending via snail mail student work samples and some printouts of the documents I used.

15 HARRIET TUBMAN BIOGRAPHY QUICK FACTS NAME: Harriet Tubman OCCUPATION: Civil Rights Activist BIRTH DATE: c DEATH DATE: March 10, 1913 PLACE OF BIRTH: Dorchester County, Maryland PLACE OF DEATH: Auburn, New York ORIGINALLY: Araminta Harriet Ross NICKNAME: Minty NICKNAME: Moses NICKNAME: General Tubman BEST KNOWN FOR Harriet Tubman was an African-American abolitionist leader who led many enslaved people to freedom along the Underground Railroad. Harriet Tubman biography SYNOPSIS Harriet Tubman was an African-American abolitionist who helped to free many slaves. Born into slavery in Dorchester County, Maryland, around 1820, Tubman escaped to the North and became an abolitionist leader and activist. She risked capture returning repeatedly to the South to guide enslaved people to freedom along the Underground Railroad. Harriet Tubman died in Auburn, New York, in EARLY LIFE Harriet Tubman was born to enslaved parents in Dorchester County, Maryland, and originally named Araminta Harriet Ross. Her mother, Harriet Rit Green, was owned by Mary Pattison Brodess. Her father, Ben Ross, was owned by Anthony Thompson, who eventually married Mary Brodess. Araminta, or Minty, was one of nine children born to Rit and Ben between 1808 and While the year of Araminta s birth is unknown, it probably occurred between 1820 and Minty s early life was full of hardship. Mary Brodess son Edward sold three of her sisters to distant plantations, severing the family. When a trader from Georgia approached Brodess about buying Rit s youngest son, Moses, Rit successfully resisted the further fracturing of her family, setting a powerful example for her young daughter. Physical violence was a part of daily life for Tubman and her family. The violence she suffered early in life caused permanent physical injuries. Harriet later recounted a particular day when she was lashed five times before breakfast. She carried the scars

16 for the rest of her life. The most severe injury occurred when Tubman was an adolescent. Sent to a dry-goods store for supplies, she encountered a slave who had left the fields without permission. The man s overseer demanded that Tubman help restrain the runaway. When Harriet refused, the overseer threw a two-pound weight that struck her in the head. Tubman endured seizures, severe headaches and narcoleptic episodes for the rest of her life. She also experienced intense dream states, which she classified as religious experiences. The line between freedom and slavery was hazy for Tubman and her family. Harriet Tubman s father, Ben, was freed from slavery at the age of 45, as stipulated in the will of a previous owner. Nonetheless, Ben had few options but to continue working as a timber estimator and foreman for his former owners. Although similar manumission stipulations applied to Rit and her children, the individuals who owned the family chose not to free them. Despite his free status, Ben had little power to challenge their decision. By the time Harriet reached adulthood, around half of the African-American people on the eastern shore of Maryland were free. It was not unusual for a family to include both free and enslaved people, as did Tubman s immediate family. In 1844, Harriet married a free black man named John Tubman. Little is known about John Tubman or his marriage to Harriet. Any children they might have had would have been considered enslaved, since the mother s status dictated that of any offspring. Araminta changed her name to Harriet around the time of her marriage, possibly to honor her mother. ESCAPE FROM SLAVERY AND ABOLITIONISM Harriet Tubman escaped from slavery in 1849, fleeing to Philadelphia. Tubman decided to escape following a bout of illness and the death of her owner in Tubman feared that her family would be further severed, and feared for own her fate as a sickly slave of low economic value. She initially left Maryland with two of her brothers, Ben and Henry, on September 17, A notice published in the Cambridge Democrat offered a $300 reward for the return of Araminta (Minty), Harry and Ben. Once they had left, Tubman s brothers had second thoughts and returned to the plantation. Harriet had no plans to remain in bondage. Seeing her brothers safely home, she soon set off alone for Pennsylvania. Tubman made use of the network known as the Underground Railroad to travel nearly 90 miles to Philadelphia. She crossed into the free state of Pennsylvania with a feeling of relief and awe, and recalled later: When I found I had crossed that line, I looked at my hands to see if I was the same person. There was such a glory over everything; the sun came like gold through the trees, and over the fields, and I felt like I was in Heaven. Rather than remaining in the safety of the North, Tubman made it her mission to rescue her family and others living in slavery. In December 1850, Tubman received a warning that her niece Kessiah was going to be sold, along with her two young children. Kessiah s husband, a free black man named John Bowley, made the winning bid for his wife at an auction in Baltimore. Harriet then helped the entire family make the journey to Philadelphia. This was the first of many trips by Tubman, who earned the nickname Moses for her leadership. Over time, she was able to guide her parents, several siblings and about 60 others to freedom. One family member who declined to make the journey was Harriet s husband, John, who preferred to stay in Maryland with his new wife. The dynamics of escaping slavery changed in 1850, with the passage of the Fugitive Slave Law. This law stated that escaped slaves could be captured in the North and returned to slavery, leading to the abduction of former slaves and free blacks living in

17 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 categorically. In December 1851, Tubman guided a group of 11 fugitives northward. There is evidence to suggest that the party stopped at the home of abolitionist and former slave Frederick Douglass. In April 1858, Tubman was introduced to the abolitionist John Brown, who advocated the use of violence to disrupt and destroy the institution of slavery. Tubman shared Brown s goals and at least tolerated his methods. Tubman claimed to have had a prophetic vision of Brown before they met. When Brown began recruiting supporters for an attack on slaveholders at Harper s Ferry, he turned to General Tubman for help. After Brown s subsequent execution, Tubman praised him as a martyr. Harriet Tubman remained active during the Civil War. Working for the Union Army as a cook and nurse, Tubman quickly became an armed scout and spy. The first woman to lead an armed expedition in the war, she guided the Combahee River Raid, which liberated more than 700 slaves in South Carolina. LATER LIFE In early 1859, abolitionist Senator William H. Seward sold Tubman a small piece of land on the outskirts of Auburn, New York. The land in Auburn became a haven for Tubman s family and friends. Tubman spent the years following the war on this property, tending to her family and others who had taken up residence there. In 1869, she married a Civil War veteran named Nelson Davis. In 1874, Harriet and Nelson adopted a baby girl named Gertie. Despite Harriet s fame and reputation, she was never financially secure. Tubman s friends and supporters were able to raise some funds to support her. One admirer, Sarah H. Bradford, wrote a biography entitled Scenes in the Life of Harriet Tubman, with the proceeds going to Tubman and her family. Harriet continued to give freely in spite of her economic woes. In 1903, she donated a parcel of her land to the African Methodist Episcopal Church in Auburn. The Harriet Tubman Home for the Aged opened on this site in As Tubman aged, the head injuries sustained early in her life became more painful and disruptive. She underwent brain surgery at Boston s Massachusetts General Hospital to alleviate the pains and "buzzing" she experienced regularly. Tubman was eventually admitted into the rest home named in her honor. Surrounded by friends and family members, Harriet Tubman died of pneumonia in Harriet Tubman, widely known and well-respected while she was alive, became an American icon in the years after she died. A survey at the end of the 20th century named her as one of the most famous civilians in American history before the Civil War, third only to Betsy Ross and Paul Revere. She continues to inspire generations of Americans struggling for civil rights with her bravery and bold action. When she died, Tubman was buried with military honors at Fort Hill Cemetery in Auburn. The city commemorated her life with a plaque on the courthouse. Tubman was celebrated in many other ways throughout the nation in the 20th century. Dozens of

18 schools were named in her honor, and both the Harriet Tubman Home in Auburn and the Harriet Tubman Museum in Cambridge serve as monuments to her life. How to Cite this Page: Harriet Tubman APA Style Harriet Tubman. (2012). Biography.com. Retrieved 10:12, Jun 27, 2012 from Harvard Style Harriet Tubman [Internet] June 27 MLA Style " Harriet Tubman." Biography.com 27 Jun 2012, 10:12 MHRA Style ' Harriet Tubman', Biography.com,(2012) [accessed Jun 27, 2012] Chicago Style " Harriet Tubman," Biography.com, (accessed Jun 27, 2012). CBE/CSE Style Harriet Tubman [Internet]. Biography.com; 2012 [cited 2012 Jun 27]. Available from: Bluebook Style Harriet Tubman, (last visited Jun 27, 2012). AMA Style Harriet Tubman, (last visited Jun 27, 2012).

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21 A Northern Freeman Enslaved by Northern Hands 1839 Printed Printed in an 1839 issue of the Anti-Slavery Almanac, this image depicts northern men capturing a free black. The inscription under the image read: Nov. 20, 1836, (Sunday,) Peter John Lee, a free colored man of Westchester Co., N.Y., was kidnapped by Tobias Boudinot, E. K. Waddy, John Lyon, and Daniel D. Nach, of N. Y., city, and hurried away from his wife and children into slavery. One went up to shake hands with him, while the others were ready to use the gag and chain.... This is not a rare case. Many northern freeman have been enslaved, in some cases under

22 color of law. Oct. 26, 1836, a man named Frank, who was born in Pa., and lived free in Ohio, was hurried into slavery by an Ohio Justice of the Peace. When offered for sale in Louisiana, he so clearly stated the facts that a slaveholding court declared him FREE --thus giving a withering rebuke to northern servility.

23 Eastman Johnson - A Ride for Liberty -- The Fugitive Slaves - Oil on paperboard - 22 x in - c Scanned from Eastman Johnson: Painting America Appendix

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25 Mother Wind and Mother Water Mothers love their children. Back at the beginning of the world Mother Water and Mother Wind used to be friends. One day they got to talking about their children. I got all kinds of children, Mother Water said. I got the biggest and the littlest children. I got children of every color. I got children of every kind and shape in the whole world. I love all my children. Then Mother Wind took a turn. I love my children, too. I got more children than anybody in the whole wide world. They can move every which way. They fly. They walk. They run. They swim. They sing. They talk. They whistle and they cry. Lord oh lord, my children sure are a pleasure to me. Nobody in the whole wide world has babies like mine. Sooner than soon Mother Water got tired of hearing about Mother Wind s children. One day the whole passel of Mother Wind s youn uns come up to her. Mother, we thirsty as we can be. We run and we walk. We fly and we swim. We talk and we sing. We whistle and cry and laugh this whole world through and through. Run over to Mother Water to ask for a long cool drink. But Mother Water was churned and stirred up. She grabbed on to every one of them children of wind and would not let go even when Mother Wind called them to come home. Woooo woooo woooooo. Mother Wind passed over the ocean, calling her children. But every time she called, there was only a rustle of an answer a white feathery cap came up to the top of the water. Time and time again no wind children, only white feathery caps. When Mother Water did not show up to talk anymore, Mother Wind knew what had happened. Mother Wind never saw her children again. Mama says that is why the wind sounds so lonesome sometimes. But she still calls for them. She is still looking for her children to come on home. Mother love their children. Folk Tale from Eliza's Freedom Road An Underground Railroad Diary By Jerdine Nolen Illustrated by: Shadra Strickland

26 Fox and Rooster A rooster ruled over everything in his yard. As soon as the sun began to rise, he crowed perfect and loud. He was a proud thing but too careless for his own good. One morning, a fox came into the barnyard. Be careful, his friends and family told Rooster. To show he wasn t afraid, he was going to walk right past the fox. Where you going? say Fox. They tell me you have the voice of an angel. Please, friend let me hear you sing. Rooster did not have to be asked twice. He stood up high on his toes, closed his eyes, and planned to sing a most beautiful song. Just as he started, that fox showed what he was. Before you knew anything, Fox grabbed Rooster in his teeth and started carrying him away to his home in the woods. Fear rose up in Rooster s chest but he knew he had to do something to save his own life. I should be careful, he told himself, but do not fear. Sir, he said to the fox, take pity on me. Give me time to say good bye to my family. Fox was going to answer yes. But the moment that sly rascal opened his mouth to reply, Rooster flew to the highest branch of an acorn tree and out of reach of that fox and his teeth! Come back down, pleaded Fox. Poor Rooster, Fox begged. I didn t mean to frighten you. If you will just come down, I will tell you what I really wanted, and it has nothing to do with my stomach. again. Oh no, no, no! Rooster say from high above. I am free from you now. I won t be fooled Folk Tale from Eliza's Freedom Road An Underground Railroad Diary By Jerdine Nolen Illustrated by: Shadra Strickland

27 Fly to Freedom There was one an old, old wood sawyer. He knew a great many things. Even then he was an old man, and he is so much older now, as this happened a long, long time ago. But he is gifted with a very good memory. And he will tell you he can remember a great many strange things that have happened in this world. He was there at the time when the Africans flew away with their women and children. Once, all Africans could fly free like any bird. But when they came to these shores to slave in the fields, their pain and sadness was so great, they could not recall or remember how to take to the sky. Though some held on to their poser of flight they looked like any other man and could not remember how to make it happen. There was a most cruel master who worked the people hard in the cotton fields under the blazing sun. He hired the cruelest overseer, who drove the people hard, working men, women, and children from sunrise until long past sunset. He would not let them stop to rest during the midsummer sun. And all grew weak with heat and thirst. The overseer did not care if he worked them until they died. There was a young woman among them new to this plantation, who had just orne her first child, and she had not completely regained her strength. She carried her baby with her to the field tied in swaddling cloth to her back. Being very weak, the woman stumbled, slipped and fell. The baby cried. And the driver came running with his strap raised to strike. But the young woman stood, trying to continue chopping the knotgrass. She was very weak and sick from the heat. She stumbled and slipped and fell again. The young woman, in fear of her baby s life, spoke in the softest voice that soon became too loud for the overseer to hear. Kuli ba! Kuli ba! she said, as if they were words in a lullaby. She repeated the words again and again. Over and over she said the words, hoping the people around her could hear this message and remember. Kuli ba! Kuli ba! An old man in the field working next to her stopped. He mouthed the words. Then he repeated the wordds out loud, too. Kuli ba! Kuli ba! A young man in the field sang the words like a song. Kuli ba! Kuli ba! And then another woman and another man spoke the words. The people began to remember. They repeated the words over and over again. Soon the sound of those words had grown in the field as thick as knotgrass, as thick as cotton. And the people, one by one, stretched out their arms, leaped into the air, and were gone, like gulls or doves or crows, flying free over fields and over the woods. Folk Tale from Eliza's Freedom Road An Underground Railroad Diary By Jerdine Nolen Illustrated by: Shadra Strickland

28 The Star Road Back at the beginning of the world, everything was black as pitch. Light had not been made yet to sit up in the sky. There was no blazing sun, no glowing moon, and no stars. The only light was fire that came from the center of the earth. There was a village at the beginning of the world. The first people lived there. There was a mother and father and a girl. They knew how to get to that fire. They cooked their food with that fire. It kept them warm. These people had to do everything to make the world grow the trees and grass, step out the valleys, build up the mountains, hollow out the catching places for water to fill the oceans and seas. They made the animals that live in all places. One morning when the girl woke, she came to the warmth of the fire. She smelled potatoes roasting. She could see the white and red flames of the fire. Eat! the mother said. While she ate the roasted potatoes, she thought about how you could not tell when there was morning and when there was night. When she became full, she knew what to do. She grabbed the burning ashes and threw those up into the sky. Then the girl stepped up into the sky and made her way across. Where she walked, she sprinkled the ashes across the dark sky. The Star Road was made. That is the path made by the girl at the beginning of the world, the girl who threw the bright sparks of fire high up into the sky to make a light road through darkness. She laid the path of stars in the heavens to show our way north. Folk Tale in Eliza's Freedom Road An Underground Railroad Diary By Jerdine Nolen Illustrated by: Shadra Strickland