Prof. Charles Blockson Temple University

Underground Railroad – Speaking in Riddles, Singing in Codes

Part of a two-day symposuin…THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD in PHILADELPHIA in partnership with the MOONSTONE ARTS Center and held at the CHARLES L. BLOCKSON Collection, Temple University-Philadelphia, Pa. – October 16, 2014. Supporters of the Underground Railroad creates their own codes as a secret language in order to help enslaved Africans to escape. Code words would be used in letters to ‘agents’ so that if they were intercepted they would not be understood. Underground Railroad code was also used in songs sung by slaves to communicate among each other without the owners being aware.

Participants include: Charles L. Blockson, – soloist Laverne Williams & Rev. Joseph Williams of the Mt. Airy United Fellowship Church in Philadelphia.

Prof Charles Blockson Temple University