A NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR

The institution of slavery was one of the most shameful practices in history. In the United States, millions of Africans and African Americans were enslaved over a period of more than two hundred years. Even the very young and old were forced into slavery.

Enslaved people worked long and difficult hours six to seven days a week for no money, little food, and poor living conditions. In addition to this, enslaved people were often beaten and otherwise cruelly treated. People were considered property and were bought and sold. Often families were separated and sold to different owners.

It’s no wonder enslaved people found ways to escape. One such way became known as the Underground Railroad. The name is misleading. As Ann says, it wasn’t under the ground and it had nothing to do with trains.

Slaves used the word underground because it could not be seen. The routes, paths, and “stations” were kept secret to avoid getting caught. Railroad refers to the fact that a route was followed with stops along the way, just like a train.

The Underground Railroad helped enslaved people run away from “slave states” in the South, where slavery was allowed. Their destination was “free states” in the North, where slavery was not legal. In most instances, even those in charge of the stations did not know the entire route. This ensured that if a station was discovered or if people were caught, no one would be able to give away the rest of the stations or put other people in danger. The high level of secrecy and organization is part of what made it so successful.

The conductors were the people who led runaways to the North and kept them safe. The most famous conductor on the Underground Railroad was Harriet Tubman. There are disagreements about how many enslaved people she helped become free, but some say she helped as many as 300 people. She risked her life at least nineteen times, returning to the South to rescue enslaved people and lead them to the North.

Harriet Tubman was born in Maryland in 1820 and lived her life there as a slave until she ran away in 1849. Most of her trips on the Underground Railroad were between Maryland and as far north as Canada.

Although Harriet Tubman’s own escape route is unknown, experts believe she traveled along the Choptank River and through Delaware to Pennsylvania.

The routes she used are some of the best documented, and there is now a Harriet Tubman Museum and Educational Center in Maryland. The Harriet Tubman Scenic Byway and Visitor Center are part of the National Historic Park in Maryland. These are some of the reasons I chose to start Ann’s journey there.

Although the Underground Railroad was highly organized, it was both formal and informal. Some runaways had a conductor. Others left with no conductor and no knowledge of where the stations were. They followed the North Star and other clues on their journey. They were part of the Underground Railroad too.

Whether there was a conductor or not, the trip was challenging and dangerous. People travelled at night through unfamiliar territory with no roads. They often left on a Saturday night, because if they had Sunday off, no one would miss them until Monday. Ads and wanted signs for runaways could not be placed over the weekend. This gave them a head start. Runaways were hunted by slave catchers and patrollers (pattyrollers) who were willing to hurt them. If they were caught and returned to their “owners,” they were severely punished.

The Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 required that even former slaves who made it to a free state had to be returned if caught. The story Ann Fights for Freedom takes place in 1854, during the time of Harriet Tubman, the Underground Railroad, and The Fugitive Slave Act. Even though it isn’t a true story, many of the things that happened to Ann and her family happened to real people.

When I wrote this story I had three goals. I wanted to tell a realistic and accurate story, yet still write a book that children could enjoy. I wanted to show many different kinds of people working together to lead enslaved people to freedom and to fight for equality. My third goal was to write a suspenseful story about a girl who didn’t give up and led her family to freedom.

I hope this story makes you hold your breath and cross your fingers for Ann. I also hope you learn a bit about history. Maybe you will work with others to fight for what you think is right. Maybe YOU will be an everyday hero too.