A Retired Policeman Tells us the Story of The Most Daring Jailbreak in the Underground Railroad's History

History Unplugged Podcast

History Unplugged

Society & Culture, History

4.2 • 3.7K Ratings

🗓️ 27 March 2018

⏱️ 64 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

You probably know what the Underground Railroad is—you know, the network of secret routes and safe houses set up in antebellum America and used by African-American slaves (with the help of abolitionists and allies) to escape into free states and Canada. But how did it work? How far apart were these slave houses? Five miles, twenty miles, or more? And how did abolitionists help the escaped slaves? Did they provide them food and shelter and send them on their way, or did they personally guide them? And what happened if a slave or Underground Railroad “conductor” got caught? Here to tell us one of the most amazing jailbreak stories in pre-Civil War American history is Gary Jenkins, a retired Kansas City police officer. He tells us about the capture, incarceration, trial and rescue of Dr. John Doy. In 1859, twelve free African-Americans asked Lawrence Kansas leading citizens to help them flee north to escape being captured and sold into slavery. Dr. John Doy and his son, Charles Doy volunteered to go on this dangerous mission. His book, The Immortal 10, tells this exciting story of the slave trade in Missouri though the eyes of Dr. Doy.

Transcript

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0:00.0	War has played a key role in the history of the United States, from the nation's founding right down to the present.
0:06.2	Wars made the United States independent, kept it together, increased its size, and established it as a global superpower.
0:13.2	Hi, I'm James Early, host of the Key Battles of American History podcast.
0:17.6	In each episode I discuss American history through the lens of the most important battles of America's Wars.
0:23.2	To start listening now, go to pathanonpodcast.com or search Key Battles of American History on your favorite podcast and platform.
0:36.1	The history of North America podcast is a sweeping historical saga of the United States, Canada, and Mexico, from their deep origins to our present epoch.
0:46.0	Join me, Mark Vinet, on this exciting, fascinating epic journey through time,
0:51.1	focusing on the compelling, wonderful, and tragic stories of North America's inhabitants, heroes, villains, leaders, environment, and geography.
1:01.4	I invite you to come along for the ride.
1:06.5	Welcome to the History Unplugged Podcast.
1:09.5	The unscripted show that celebrates unsung heroes, myth busts historical lies, and rediscoveres the forgotten stories that changed our world.
1:19.6	I'm your host, Scott Rank.
1:28.0	Most of us know about the Underground Railroad.
1:30.3	It's this network of routes and safe houses where escaped slaves could go to abolitionist states and Canada to get away from plantations.
1:39.8	And there were a network of abolitionists who helped get them along the way.
1:43.5	But how was the Underground Railroad actually set up?
1:46.3	What did it look like on a day-to-day basis for an escaped slave to go from one place to another, go over land, and travel in such a way that you're not going to get caught?
1:55.9	What was it like for abolitionists who helped them out along the way?
1:59.1	Did they just provide them food and shelter and tell them where to go next or were they going along with them?
2:04.8	Furthermore, if you were a slave and you were caught, what happened?
2:08.5	If you're an abolitionist and a bounty hunter found out you were helping, what would happen?
2:12.9	Here with me today is a guest Gary Jenkins to talk about a story about the Immortal X.
	...

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