History of the Underground Railroad- Function
of the Underground Railroad
While the Underground Railroad movement was not underground
and railroads were not used, it was appropriately named for the
purpose that it served. What the Underground Railroad did was
help escaped slaves make their way from the slave-owning southern
states up through the northern states and eventually into Canada
and freedom. This was accomplished by secretly transporting the
fugitive slaves from safe-house to safe-house, steadily moving
north until freedom was secured.