What is the Underground Railroad?

The "Underground Railroad" was a secret route used by black slaves in the 19th century who fled from their homes. Black Slavery was a large issue that caused problems internationally. The Underground Railroad was a secret pathway that was used to lead over 30,000 slaves to freedom. Despite the fact that this pathway is called "The Underground Railroad" it isn't actually underground at all. It got it's name when a local man searching for fleeing black slaves concluded that the people must have gone underground, because he could not find them. It was called an Underground Railroad also because of the homes on the way that provided food and clothing called "trainstops", and the homes expected "passengers". All of this made for a stealthy escape for many black refugees.