Most of these sources are available through
IUP Libraries, Special Collections & University Archive, along with the
Historical and Genealogical Society of Indiana, Pennsylvania
Catalfamo, C. & Watson, V.T. (2001).
Freedom In the Air: Indiana County’s Underground Railroad in
Black and White. Indiana, PA: The University Museum, Indiana University of
PA.
In this
brief yet stunningly comprehensive exhibition catalogue, the late renowned
Underground Railroad historian Chris Catalfamo and IUP Professor Veronica T.
Watson discuss in vivid detail the Underground Railroad Project, the history of
the abolitionist and Underground Railroad movement in Indiana County, the
establishment of the first African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church in Indiana,
and the Civil War. The exhibition took
place at the University Museum in 2001, and is one of the fundamental
contributions put forth by its curators to place Indiana County on the map of
places of historical significance for the abolitionist movement.
Catalfamo, C., K. Werner, and S. Stewart, (Eds.). (2001).
“Underground Railroad History and Tradition In Indiana County,
Pennsylvania: The Conductors and Their
Stories.” Web. www.undergroundrailroadblairsvillepa.com.
This is an
excellent source for both historical accounts and detailed biographical
background into the roles which various Indiana citizens played during the
Underground Railroad movement. The essay
is crucial to understanding the intricate ways in which fugitive slaves were
hidden, and how both the slaves and the abolitionists risked their lives and
sacrificed much of their time and energy to making the movement a success.
Jacobs, H.
(1861). Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl:
Written by Herself. Ed. by
L.M. Child. Boston, MA. “Documenting the American South,” 2004. The University Library, The University of
North Carolina, Chapell Hill. Last
updated, 01 November, 2013. Web. http://docsouth.unc.edu/fpn/jacobs/title.html.
Written
between 1853 and 1858, this is one of the classic slave narratives, documenting
the horrific treatment of slaves in the South.
In this narrative, Jacobs describes how she spent seven years in hiding
within her grandmother’s attic. The book
was published under a pseudonym in 1861, and it has been re-published in
several editions, with many copies accessible for free in electronic form. It is highly significant as a primary source
because it re-tells the story of slavery from the perspective of the women and
children who were often left behind on plantations, due to the extra risks it
would have taken for entire families to escape the plantations. Moreover, these brave individuals entailed
further risk in their many clever methods of resistance, and it is this
specific narrative which highlights many of these stories of courage.
Moorhead, J.
(1840-1854). Clarion of freedom. Indiana, PA.
James Moorhead was an Underground
Railroad agent and editor of the abolitionist newspaper, The Clarion of Freedom, from 1840 until 1854. He sold the paper, and eventually began
another abolitionist newspaper. He was
not only a prominent citizen of Indiana County—he was also a committed activist
in the abolitionist movement. Access to
these newspaper articles is through either the WorldCat online or locally
through the Indiana Genealogical and Historical Society.
Stabley, R., ed. (1953).
Material Selected from Mitchell
Scrapbooks. Indiana, PA: State Teachers College.
This is an
unpublished selection of material on the Underground Railroad derived from a
scrapbook kept by the Mitchell family.
It consists of 41 pages in a three-ring binder, and also includes an
additional unpublished biography of Dr. Robert Mitchell, written by Robert E.
Hicks III. Both collections of writings
are brief yet fairly detailed writings about a man who was a crucial part of
the Underground Railroad’s history. The
binder is available in print form only, and is housed within the closed stacks
of the Indiana County Genealogical and Historical Society.
Stephenson, C. (1964).
Impact of the Slavery Issue On
Indiana County. Indiana County
Historical Series, Number Two. Marion
Center, PA: Mahoning Mimeograph &
Pamphlet Service.
In this
book, noted Indiana County historian, Clarence D. Stephenson chronicles the
experiences of early African Americans residing in Indiana County, and details
the efforts of prominent antislavery organizations, such as the Anti-Slavery
Society and the lesser known Western Abolition Society. Also included in this book are important
primary sources, such as articles from The
Clarion of Freedom, a prominent abolitionist newspaper, and letters by
Indiana religious organization members involved in early efforts to abolish
slavery.
Stephenson, C.
(1978). Indiana County 175th Anniversary History, Vol. 1. Indiana, PA:
The A.G. Halldin Publishing Company.
This book
is an integral resource for anyone researching the history of Indiana County,
and several chapters are devoted to a detailed description of the Antislavery
Movement in Indiana, and the operation of the Underground Railroad. In addition, this book is an essential source
for further explorations into specific historical narratives and for discovering
primary historical sources.
Stewart, J.T. (1913). Indiana
County Pennsylvania: Her People, Past and Present. Vol. 1.
Chicago: J.H. Beers & Co.
This is a
quintessential, two-volume set of books for any research project concerning
Indiana County, and includes a rather comprehensive index of subjects, ranging
from the early history of public schools in the area, to information on local
taxonomy. There is a brief yet poignant
section on the Underground Railroad in volume one, containing a history of
local oppositions to slavery, such as efforts by Robert Mitchell, Jr., George
Atcheson, and Jacob Myers.
Switala, W.
(2001). Underground Railroad in Pennsylvania. Mechanicsburg, PA: Stackpole Books.
This book
is crucial for analyzing the history of the Underground Railroad in
Pennsylvania. Its primary focus is to
trace the direct routes which many escapees took, providing maps and written
descriptions of the routes and houses which were established as refuge for
runaway slaves on their road to freedom.
Most significantly, the book includes a detailed outline of the
Uniontown-Indiana Route, which the author chronicles as being one of the major
routes of western Pennsylvania.
Tobin, J. & Dobard, R.
(2000). Hidden in Plain View: A Secret
Story of Quilts and the Underground Railroad. New York, NY:
Anchor Books.
Although it
does not pertain specifically to Indiana’s history, this fascinating book
details the story of a forgotten yet poignant tradition within the Underground
Railroad movement. This tradition is
that of African American quilting and the complex manner in which secret
messages were encoded with the patterns of the quilt to assist runaway slaves
along the Underground Railroad route.
Like the tradition of encoding messages into song, the quilt making
tradition also tells the story of how Africa’s artistic heritage can be traced
through the patterns used by the creators of these quilts.
Wood, K. & MacGregor.
(2002). Images of America: Indiana,
Pennsylvania. Charleston, SC: Arcadia.
This book
is a general survey of local history, and provides a wonderful, concise description
of the area’s Underground Railroad history.
It also details some of the early settlements of the area, and is a
great source for photographs and other images.
For our research, my colleague and I were able to find at least one
photograph, along with a few stories, which were of use to us for our
project. Overall, the book serves as an
essential introduction to Indiana’s rich historical heritage.
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