Book Review Of Gateway To Freedom The Hidden History Of The Underground Railroad

Gateway to Freedom: The Hidden History of the Underground Railroad by Eric Foner. He was the DeWitt Clinton Professor of history at Columbia University, is one of the country’s prominent historian. Foner received his doctoral degree from Columbia University. This book focuses on abolitionism. For example, the organization the New York City American Anti-Slavery Society, they wanted to get rid of slavery without physically harming the slaves, to get rid of prejudice towards the slaves and any unequal laws against them. Foner made the reader open-minded over the underground railroad, he is very detail over every piece of the puzzle that led to the big picture of the underground railroad and impacts. Foner is informative about the committees,

They want to collect materials and clothing for the fugitives. The Vigilance Committee was made to assist the fugitives while they are on their way to gain their freedom. By helping them hide in homes to prevent getting sent back to slavery. Provide transportation such as by horse, train, carriage, ship, or boat. Some fugitives would escape in groups on foot with a guide. Also, provide clothes for fugitives to not look like slaves. The author brings up the tale of Henry “Box” Brown to accommodate how he was trying to escape. Brown put himself in a crate and shipped himself to the north. This method inspires others to escape even though they were not always fortunate. Both of these resources impacted the slaves by having citizens give their service to them. In the book The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead, he talks about Cora’s experience on her way to achieving her freedom. Once she finds out about the underground railroad she decides to escape on this journey she comes across over many obstacles. The book The Underground Railroad contrast to Gateway to Freedom by Foner also talking about other slaves experience throughout their journey to New York or Canada, but he does not focus on that. Whitehead emphasizes on the slave's experience while Foner mentions more about committees and events occurring leading to the underground railroad. David S. Reynolds compares to Eric Foner, by reason of Reynolds mentioning the role New York had in the underground railroad. Eric Foner wrote how New York had the underground railroad and also, how they contributed by the Vigilance Committee on aiding slaves and the rise of the abolitionist movement. “Excellent . . . Mr. Foner, bringing to bear his well-honed research skills and his deep knowledge of slavery and race relations . . . vividly describes the key