Introduction
The Underground Railroad is an important part of American
history—yet it is difficult for children to understand what the
Underground Railroad was and how African slaves, known as
fugitives, “rode” it to freedom. This quilt poster and guide is
packed with ideas for helping children study the Underground
Railroad by learning about the quilts—and the secret escape
codes quilters stitched into them to guide their people
to freedom.
Included in this Really Good Stuff
®
kit you will find:
• Full-color poster, 19" by 24", featuring the Underg r o u n d
R a i l r oad map and Quilt Pa t t e r n s
• Reproducible quilt patterns
• This Really Good Stuff
®
Activity Guide
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Prior to 1860, America captured and enslaved about four million
Black people from Africa. Slavery came about because
Americans needed workers to do the difficult labor on the
sprawling plantations that stretched across the South, and
because slave-traders saw an opportunity to make a great deal
of money buying and selling slaves.
From the beginning, slaves tried to escape from owners. But
attempting an escape, or helping someone else to escape, was
dangerous and could result in severe punishment or death. The
Underground Railroad is the name for the secret route fugitives
took to escape to freedom. It was so named because fugitives
who tra veled on it just seemed to vanish as if tra v e l i n g
underground. It was, of course, not a real railroad, but rather a
series of safe hiding places called “stations.” The people who
helped the fugitives travel from one station to the next were
known as “railroad workers.” The people who helped fugitives get
food and places to sleep were known as “station masters.”
People who worked and tra veled on the Railroad used secre t
codes to learn the routes from one safe place to the next.
R e s e a rchers recently learned that an Underg r ound Railroad Quilt
Code existed to guide fugitives to freedom. Because it was illegal
in slave-holding states to teach slaves to read, slaves could not
communicate with each other in writing. But, because slaves of all
b a c k g rou nds shared an oral history of storytelling coupled with a
knowledge of textile production and African art—an art form
which embodies African symbolic systems and designs—t h e y
d i s c o v e red they we re able to communicate complex messages in
the stitches, patterns, designs, colors and fabrics of the
American quilt. To memorize the code, re s e a rchers believe
f u g i t i ves used a sampler quilt, with blocks arranged in order of
the code. The patterns told slaves how to get ready to escape,
what to do on the trip, and where to go.
Once stitched, the coded quilts were “aired” out the windows of
slave cabins, acting as secret maps for slaves brave and
desperate enough to make the dangerous trek from South to
North, from slavery to freedom. Researchers today are excited
about unraveling the mysteries behind the Underground Railroad
Quilt codes. And your students will be excited to use this kit to
help design their own coded quilt squares. Twelve quilt patterns
were used to direct the slaves to take particular action.
Directions for Creating a Coded Quilt Map
1. Begin by sharing this poster front, plus read-aloud books and
background information about the Underground Railroad and
coded quilts with your class. Here are some resources to
consider exploring:
• The Secret To Freedom by Marcia Vaughan (Lee & Low
Books, 2001). A young slave girl and her older brother, in
the days before the Civil War, help slaves escape to
freedom using the Underground Railroad quilt code.
• The Patchwork Path by Bettye Stroud (Candlewick Press,
2005). This book tells how Hannah and her Papa escaped
from slavery along the Underground Railroad. The quilt
that Hannah and her late mother made together offers
clues in the quilt blocks.
• Almost To Freedom by Vaunda Micheaux Nelson
(Carolrhoda Books, 2003). A tattered rag doll named
Sally relates how a young girl and her parents embark on
the dangerous journey along the Underground Railroad in
their quest for freedom.
2. Copy a supply of quilt square patterns in this kit. These
re p r esent some of the most common quilt blocks used in
coded quilts.
(Tip: To make squares more sturd y, mount squares on
construction paper before cutting apart . )
Really Good Stuff
®
Activity Guide
Underground Railroad Quilt Guide
Helping Teachers Make A Difference
®
©2005 Really Good Stuff
®
1-800-366-1920 www.reallygoodstuff.com #154227
All activity guides can be found online:
Helping Teachers Make A Difference
®
©2005 Really Good Stuff
®
1-800-366-1920 www.reallygoodstuff.com #154227
