During the abolition era of the pre-Civil War United States, former slaves of the south sought their freedom above the Mason-Dixon Line. Unfortunately, not even the “free” north was a guarantee of freedom. The road to liberation ended only in Canada, and these freedmen and women journeyed through the North Country via the abolitionist's Underground Railroad.

Northward to Freedom: Stories of the North Country Underground Railroad is a historical documentary created by the Red Hummingbird Foundation. The North Country Underground Railroad Historical Association also had a hand in the film's production. This organization studies the history and importance of the Adirondacks between 1830 and 1861 to the struggle against slavery.

Northward to Freedom recounts two stories of runaway slaves and the life of Stephen Keese Smith, a famous abolitionist in Peru. Smith would shelter the runaway slaves in the basement of his home and pay for their safe passage to abolitionist Noadiah Moore up in Champlain and on to Montréal.

While the movie gives a very well-structured description of the Underground Railroad, its route, and some participants in the abolition effort, it does little to draw the viewer into the struggles and hardships of the slaves. The documentary lacks a clear and necessary description of even the slightest history of slavery and the extent of the “railroad.”

The characters are performed by members of Plattsburgh State University College and seemed a bit unconvincing. At one point, the story of Lavinia Bell, a runaway slave, was recounted. Bell was born free in Washington, but as a baby she was stolen by slave owner, Tom Watson, and taken to Texas. She attempted to escape many times and failed twice before following the North Star to New York. One of the more horrendous stories of her quest for freedom occurred after she gave birth to twin babies along the way. Her master cut her ears, chopped off her right finger, and branded her back, stomach, and hand with a soldering iron.

This story of Lavinia Bell's determined heroism, which lasted more than three months and ended in Urbain Street in Montréal, is incredible. The movie, however, does not do enough to draw the viewer into her pains and struggles.

The Underground Railroad passed through cities throughout New York and Vermont

If I had any complaints about this documentary, they would have to be that the acting was sub-par, the surface of the history of the Underground Railroad was only barely scratched, and that it had so much more emotional potential that was not fully grasped.

All in all, I would recommend this movie to young students and those who are trying to get an introduction into the North Country's contribution to the abolition movement, but not to those seriously interested in finding quality information on the subject.

What do you know about the North Country Underground Railroad?

Further reading on the information found in “Northward to Freedom.”

“Follow the Drinking Gourd”
By Jeanette Winter
Dragonfly Books, New York (1992)

“The Underground Railroad in Orange County, New York: The Silent Rebellion”
By Roger A. King
Library Research Associates Inc, New York (1999)

“A Stop on the Underground Railroad: Rev. J.W. Loguen & Syracuse”
By J.W. Loguen
Hofmann Press, New York (2001)