Introduction
The Underground Railroad was an effective system of covert routes and safe homes that was instrumental in liberating enslaved people in the United States. Despite its significance, the history of the Underground Railroad is little known, and occasionally, other periods of American history take precedence over its impact. This essay will focus on the depiction of the Underground Railroad in the eponymous novel by Colson Whitehead, as well as the lives and activities of its characters, highlighting their valor and commitment to the cause. Whitehead’s characters, by their brave efforts on the Underground Railroad, played a crucial part in the struggle against slavery and deserved to be recognized for their contributions to American literature.
Definition
In real life, the Underground Railroad was an interconnected system of individuals and routes rather than a physical railroad that helped oppressed people escape to freedom. However, in Whitehead’s novel, it was a network of underground tunnels and safe homes that crossed numerous American states and served as a crucial resource for the slave population. Station managers, conductors, and agents were a few of the system’s components that collaborated to aid individuals seeking freedom. Most of these people were abolitionists who opposed slavery and thought that everyone had the right to live in freedom:
The underground railroad maintained no lines to speak of. The decoys in negro dress, the secret codes in the back pages of the newspapers. They openly bragged of their subversion, hustling a slave out the back door as the slave catchers broke down the front. It was a criminal conspiracy devoted to theft of property, and Ridgeway suffered their brazenness as a personal slur. (Whitehead 71)
In the Underground Railroad, conductors played a crucial role; in addition to making sure fugitives got food, housing, and medical attention while on the run, they were in charge of leading them to safety. Conductors frequently put their lives in danger to free the captives, risking severe punishment or even death if discovered.
Current Debate
Despite having a significant impact on American history, the Underground Railroad is sometimes overlooked by other periods of the country’s past. Whitehead offers a twist to the concept by making it real and literal (Salván 20). How to teach the history of the Underground Railroad in classrooms is a contentious issue. Some contend that more emphasis should be placed on the significance of the Underground Railroad and that its history is not sufficiently taught in educational curricula. Others argue that including its history in the curriculum should be a choice rather than a requirement.
Along with the argument over whether or not to educate about the Underground Railroad, there is disagreement about how best to recognize its significance. While some advocate for the construction of monuments or museums, others contend that oral tradition and storytelling should be used to preserve the legacy of the Underground Railroad.
Whitehead’s literal spin on the underground railroad metaphor, manifested as a material infrastructure of subterranean tunnels, tracks, and train stations, sponsors the novel’s spatialized representation of US history (Dubey 111). The courage and selflessness of conductors, who risked their safety to help enslaved people find freedom must be honored. By recognizing the efforts of those who were part of the Underground Railroad, people may comprehend the fight for freedom and civil rights in the United States more fully.
The Underground Railroad as a Network of Support, Survival, and Resistance
In Colson Whitehead’s novel, fictional figures like Cora and Caesar stand in for the numerous people who escaped slavery and the supporters who helped them to freedom. The main character, Cora, is an enslaved person on a plantation in Georgia who manages to flee with the aid of the Underground Railroad. She comes across a number of supporters who help her along the road, including station agents, conductors, and sympathetic people who sacrificed their own security to make her dream of escape come true. When discussing the scope of help she received, the narration notes: “Running away was a transgression so large that the punishment enveloped every generous soul on her brief tour of freedom” (Whitehead 178). During her travels, these supporters frequently give her food, lodging, medical attention, advice, and protection.
Caesar, a different figure from the story, is a fellow enslaved person who travels with Cora to freedom. One of the numerous enslaved people who chose to take a chance and go in search of a better life was Caesar. He, too, depends on friends along the journey, who provide him with the supplies he needs to survive: “The only currency to satisfy the debt was their survival and to help others when circumstances permitted” (Whitehead 60). Presumably built by slaves, the trains and tunnels might reflect that population’s fundamental ingenuity and strength (Li 3). In addition to helping people escape slavery, the Underground Railroad also sought to create a network of support and resistance against the harsh institution of slavery.
Lumbly and the Unsung Heroes of the Underground Railroad
In the book, Lumbly and other characters were instrumental in helping runaway slaves on the Underground Railroad. A station employee named Lumbly helps Cora in her quest for freedom. Cora’s experiences at the Institute demonstrate how slavery limits physical freedom while also robbing individuals of their personal agency and dignity. He represents the countless men and women who faced peril to guide others to liberation.
Like many station agents, Lumbly was in charge of arranging secure locations for fugitives to rest and recover before continuing their escape. He was also responsible for alerting them to any hazards or barriers they could encounter on the road. In the accounts of their confrontations with slave hunters and their efforts to defend fugitives, people like Lumbly demonstrate their bravery and cunning. Lumbly reflects his ability to think quickly by using his local knowledge to evade slave catchers: “At least Lumbly made it out. And they hadn’t discovered the tunnel beneath the barn” (Whitehead 174).
He is also shown to be prepared to risk his own security to protect others. Many people who participated in the Underground Railroad had the same courage and sacrifice as Lumbly. Understanding the importance of the Underground Railroad network and the fight against slavery is possible only by appreciating the bravery and efforts of people like Lumbly.
His ironic response to Caesar reveals that, despite the railroad’s anachronism and impossibility, African American labor has been the hidden driving force behind the creation of industrial advancements, such as the train station (Ferreira 45). The Underground Railroad is acutely aware that history often operates as a performance, constructed by those with the power to tell or compose a story. However, while this postmodern insight lends itself to provocative scenes, it does not absolve Whitehead from producing a historical performance with disturbing consequences (Li 11). They put their lives in danger to aid others, frequently going unnoticed or unrewarded. Their actions had a profound impact on American history and were crucial in the struggle against slavery.
Courage, Sacrifice, and Collective Action in the Fight Against Slavery
Through their participation in the Underground Railroad, characters like Lumbly contributed to the struggle against slavery. Their courage and ingenuity were essential in assisting enslaved people in escaping to freedom and in creating a network of resistance to the harsh institution of slavery. Lumbly’s choice to offer shelter and support to runaway slaves despite the risk it presented to himself and his family is one instance of how the character’s actions affected the fight against slavery. He was essential in Cora’s escape from the plantation and in directing her toward freedom. Lumbly’s deeds show the value of taking chances to help others and the power of individual agency in bringing about change.
In their attempts to flee slavery and fight the cruel system, other characters in the book, including Mabel and Royal, also show incredible bravery. Mabel’s decision to leave her daughter behind and escape slavery served as an example of the lengths people will go to achieve freedom: Mabel wouldn’t die on Randall, even if she’d never been a mile away from the grounds in her life. One midnight, she decided, up in the sweltering loft, I am going to survive—and the next midnight, she was in the swamp, tracking after the moon in stolen shoes. […] She took the vegetables she raised, flint and tinder, and a machete. Everything else she left behind, including her girl. (Whitehead 239)
In the struggle against slavery, community involvement and collective action are crucial. Moreover, the slave narrative convention stands on the frail balance between what can be told and what cannot (Salván 15). Understanding the significance of the Underground Railroad and the fight against slavery requires acknowledging the contributions of these individuals. People can better understand the influence of individual and group action in influencing American history by paying tribute to their bravery and sacrifice.
Conclusion
Lumbly’s work on the Underground Railroad was crucial in the fight against slavery and should be honored for its importance in history. The article’s central themes, the history of the Underground Railroad, the ongoing controversy about its legacy, and the personalities’ efforts for the cause have been outlined. This article shows the bravery and selflessness of individuals like Lumbly, who risked their lives to help others escape slavery through the Underground Railroad. It is imperative to acknowledge the roles played by these individuals, both existing and fictional, in the battle against slavery and the pursuit of civil rights in America.
Respecting one’s heritage can help one better comprehend the significance of the Underground Railroad and its influence on American history. I fervently recommend that readers read up on the background of the Underground Railroad and the individuals who gave their lives to fight against slavery. This will help them recognize their bravery and guarantee that their efforts will always be remembered.
Works Cited
Dubey, Madhu. “Museumizing Slavery: Living History in Colson Whitehead’s ‘The Underground Railroad’.” American Literary History, vol. 32, no. 1, Oxford UP, 2020, pp. 111–39. Web.
Ferreira, Roberto Luiz Rodriguez. “Memory and the Neo-slave Novel in Colson Whitehead’s ‘The Underground Railroad’ and Ta-Nehisi Coates’ ‘The Water Dancer‘.” Revista Brasileira De Literatura Comparada, vol. 24, no. 46, SciELO, 2022, pp. 41–57. Web.
Li, Stephanie. “Genre Trouble and History’s Miseries in Colson Whitehead’s ‘The Underground Railroad’.” MELUS, vol. 44, no. 2, Oxford UP, 2019, pp. 1–23. Web.
Salván, Paula Martín. “Narrative Structure and the Unnarrated in Colson Whitehead’s ‘The Underground Railroad’.” ES Review, no. 41, University of Valladolid, 2020, pp. 11–33. Web.
Whitehead, Colson. The Underground Railroad. Doubleday, 2016. Oasis Academy South Bank. Web.