Sailing to Freedom: A Maritime History of Maryland’s Underground Railroad

Presented by the MCHC Maritime Committee

In coastal regions such as Maryland, the Chesapeake Bay provided an extensive waterway system that served as a crucial passage to freedom. Although most of the published accounts of enslaved fugitives describe the use of boats or ships as a means of escaping from slavery, until recently, the maritime dimension of the Underground Railroad has been neglected.  

Moderator Richard Bell, PhD, author of Stolen: Five Free Boys Kidnapped Into Slavery and Their Astonishing Odyssey Home, joins Timothy D. Walker, PhD, editor of Sailing to Freedom Maritime Dimensions of the Underground Railroad, and contributor Cheryl Janifer LaRoche, PhD, as they discuss where and how enslaved Marylanders made their way to freedom using the water.

This virtual program is free and open to all audiences. Registration is required. After registering, an automated confirmation email will provide connection instructions.

Image: Sailing to Freedom Maritime Dimensions of the Underground Railroad book cover.