The Underground Railroad Went South, Too
Enslaved Black people also escaped into Mexico.
Publication date — to be added
Introduction
The Underground Railroad is commonly associated with escapes north toward free states and Canada. However, many enslaved people in the “Deep South” and Texas traveled to Mexico, and crossing the Rio Grande could place them beyond the legal reach of American slavery.
In 1829, President Vicente Guerrero abolished slavery in Mexico, although Texas temporarily received an exemption. After Texas separated from Mexico in 1836, its constitution protected slavery. Mexico, however, remained a nearby destination where enslavers’ claims were not legally recognized.
This visual essay follows the evidence slide by slide: families escaping during the Texas Revolution, the dangers of the journey south, the communities that helped, and why freedom in Mexico did not guarantee equality.
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Sources & Further Reading
- Avila, Rolando. “The Other Underground Railroad.” In Fresh Studies in Rio Grande Valley History, 33–45. 2020.
- Baumgartner, Alice L. South to Freedom. Basic Books, 2020.
- Hudson, J. Blaine. Encyclopedia of the Underground Railroad. McFarland, 2006.
- Tyler, Ronnie C. “Fugitive Slaves in Mexico.” The Journal of Negro History 57, no. 1 (1972): 1–12.
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