CLASS OVERVIEW

This is the review of the Saltwater Underground Railroad.

BEFORE YOU GET STARTED:

• Please check the materials that go with this lesson and print relevant materials.
• Also, check out the books and products the teachers use for further learning.
• Reach out to support@urbanintellectuals.com if you have any questions or issues.
• Some links may be affiliate links where we may earn a small commission from purchases.

Sources:

N/A

The Southbound Underground Railroad—often called the Saltwater Railroad—is a powerful and under-taught chapter of resistance and liberation. It complements the more widely known northbound routes to Canada, but instead carried enslaved Africans toward freedom in Spanish Florida, Mexico, the British-controlled Bahamas, and even Africa. Here’s a full breakdown:

🌊 The Saltwater Railroad: Overview

– Timeframe: Roughly 1687 to 1861

– First recorded escape to Spanish Florida: 1687

– Peak activity: 1821–1861, especially after the U.S. acquired Florida

– Decline: After the Civil War began in 1861, and slavery was abolished in British territories (1834) and later in the U.S. (1865)

– Destinations:

– Spanish Florida (before U.S. acquisition in 1821)

– Mexico, where slavery was abolished in 1829

– Bahamas, under British rule—slavery abolished in 1834

– Africa, especially Liberia, via colonization and repatriation efforts

🗺️ Key Routes & Methods of Escape

| Destination     | Route Taken         | Transportation Used

| Florida         | From Georgia, Alabama, South Carolina         | On foot, through swamps and Seminole lands   |

| Bahamas         | From South Florida beaches to Nassau          | Bahamian boats, dugout canoes, handmade rafts|

| Mexico          | From Texas and Louisiana                      | On foot, horseback, wagons, small boats |

| Africa (Liberia)| Via ports in Charleston, Savannah, Norfolk    | Ships chartered by American Colonization Society or Black-led missions |

– Cape Florida Lighthouse (Key Biscayne) was a major launch point for boats heading to the Bahamas

– Fort Mosé, near St. Augustine, Florida, was the first legally sanctioned free Black town in North America, established by Spanish authorities in 1738

🧭 Leaders, Allies & Communities

✊ Black Seminoles

– Enslaved Africans who escaped and joined Seminole communities in Florida

– Later forced west during the Trail of Tears, some escaped again to the Bahamas

🧑‍✈️ Ship Captains & Sailors

– Bahamian and Caribbean mariners often aided fugitives

– Some sympathetic white and Black sailors helped smuggle escapees

📜 Notable Events

– Creole Revolt (1841): Enslaved people aboard the ship Creole overpowered the crew and sailed to Nassau, freeing over 100 people

🏞️ Fort Mosé Militia

– Black volunteers defended Spanish Florida in exchange for freedom

– Led by figures like Francisco Menéndez, a formerly enslaved African who became a militia leader and community builder

🌍 Why These Destinations?

– Spanish Florida: Spain offered asylum and freedom to escaped slaves who converted to Catholicism and served in the militia

– Mexico: Abolished slavery in 1829 and welcomed Black fugitives from Texas and Louisiana

– Bahamas: British decree in 1825 declared anyone arriving on British soil free; abolition in 1834 sealed its role as a haven

– Africa: Liberia became a destination for repatriated and self-liberated Africans, though motivations and outcomes were complex

Risks & Realities

– Ocean crossings were perilous: storms, pirates, slave catchers

– Many escapees traveled at night, in silence, with no maps

– Some paid for passage; others built their own vessels or relied on community networks.

John Horse

John Horse—also known as Juan Caballo, John Cowaya, and Gopher John—was a towering figure in 19th-century resistance movements, diplomacy, and Black and Indigenous liberation. Born around 1812 in Florida, he was of mixed African, Seminole, and Spanish descent. His life spanned multiple nations, wars, and identities, and he became a protector and patriarch of the Black Seminoles, also known as Seminole Maroons.

🛡️ Warrior and Diplomat

– Second Seminole War (1835–1842): John Horse rose to prominence as a leader of the Black Seminoles fighting alongside the Seminole Nation against U.S. forces.

– Negotiator and Guide: After initial resistance, he agreed to relocate west with the Seminoles in 1837, fearing re-enslavement. He later served as a U.S. Army interpreter and guide.

🌍 Transnational Freedom Fighter

– Flight to Mexico (1849): To escape the threat of slavery, Horse led a group of Black Seminoles and disaffected Indigenous allies to northern Mexico. There, they were granted land and became known as the Mascogos.

– Mexican Army Captain: In exchange for military service against Apache and Comanche raiders, Horse was named El Capitán Juan Caballo by Mexican authorities.

🧭 Legacy and Final Years

– Return to the U.S. (1870): He and many Mascogos settled near Fort Duncan, Texas. Though he didn’t serve directly, his people became the famed Seminole Negro Indian Scouts.

– Assassination Attempt and Final Mission: After surviving an attempt on his life by white Texans, he returned to Mexico and died in 1882 while advocating for his people before President Porfirio Díaz.

John Horse’s life is a testament to transborder resistance, cultural survival, and visionary leadership. He defied the boundaries of race, nation, and empire—crafting a legacy that still resonates in Black Seminole communities today.

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CLASS OVERVIEW

Learn about the Southern Underground Railroad.

BEFORE YOU GET STARTED:

• Please check the materials that go with this lesson and print relevant materials.
• Also, check out the books and products the teachers use for further learning.
• Reach out to support@urbanintellectuals.com if you have any questions or issues.
• Some links may be affiliate links where we may earn a small commission from purchases.

Sources:

https://youtu.be/7pciH4ptvVQ?si=-cfa58duG6k8LL0k

https://youtube.com/shorts/YDO_HiSK0rY?si=DJB6Rothsv_2vArH

https://youtu.be/coauCXBRUSs?si=ux9MLSlS9pu_VBVQ

The Southbound Underground Railroad—often called the Saltwater Railroad—is a powerful and under-taught chapter of resistance and liberation. It complements the more widely known northbound routes to Canada, but instead carried enslaved Africans toward freedom in Spanish Florida, Mexico, the British-controlled Bahamas, and even Africa. Here’s a full breakdown:

🌊 The Saltwater Railroad: Overview

– Timeframe: Roughly 1687 to 1861

  – First recorded escape to Spanish Florida: 1687

  – Peak activity: 1821–1861, especially after the U.S. acquired Florida

  – Decline: After the Civil War began in 1861, and slavery was abolished in British territories (1834) and later in the U.S. (1865)

– Destinations:

   – Spanish Florida (before U.S. acquisition in 1821)

   – Mexico, where slavery was abolished in 1829

  – Bahamas, under British rule—slavery abolished in 1834

  – Africa, especially Liberia, via colonization and repatriation efforts

🗺️ Key Routes & Methods of Escape

| Destination     | Route Taken                                  | Transportation Used                          

| Florida         | From Georgia, Alabama, South Carolina         | On foot, through swamps and Seminole lands   |

| Bahamas         | From South Florida beaches to Nassau          | Bahamian boats, dugout canoes, handmade rafts|

| Mexico          | From Texas and Louisiana                      | On foot, horseback, wagons, small boats      |

| Africa (Liberia)| Via ports in Charleston, Savannah, Norfolk    | Ships chartered by American Colonization Society or Black-led missions |

– Cape Florida Lighthouse (Key Biscayne) was a major launch point for boats heading to the Bahamas

– Fort Mosé, near St. Augustine, Florida, was the first legally sanctioned free Black town in North America, established by Spanish authorities in 1738

🧭 Leaders, Allies & Communities

✊ Black Seminoles

– Enslaved Africans who escaped and joined Seminole communities in Florida

– Later forced west during the Trail of Tears, some escaped again to the Bahamas

🧑‍✈️ Ship Captains & Sailors

– Bahamian and Caribbean mariners often aided fugitives

– Some sympathetic white and Black sailors helped smuggle escapees

📜 Notable Events

– Creole Revolt (1841): Enslaved people aboard the ship Creole overpowered the crew and sailed to Nassau, freeing over 100 people

🏞️ Fort Mosé Militia

– Black volunteers defended Spanish Florida in exchange for freedom

– Led by figures like Francisco Menéndez, a formerly enslaved African who became a militia leader and community builder

🌍 Why These Destinations?

– Spanish Florida: Spain offered asylum and freedom to escaped slaves who converted to Catholicism and served in the militia

– Mexico: Abolished slavery in 1829 and welcomed Black fugitives from Texas and Louisiana

– Bahamas: British decree in 1825 declared anyone arriving on British soil free; abolition in 1834 sealed its role as a haven

– Africa: Liberia became a destination for repatriated and self-liberated Africans, though motivations and outcomes were complex

Risks & Realities

– Ocean crossings were perilous: storms, pirates, slave catchers

– Many escapees traveled at night, in silence, with no maps

– Some paid for passage; others built their own vessels or relied on community networks.

John Horse

John Horse—also known as Juan Caballo, John Cowaya, and Gopher John—was a towering figure in 19th-century resistance movements, diplomacy, and Black and Indigenous liberation. Born around 1812 in Florida, he was of mixed African, Seminole, and Spanish descent. His life spanned multiple nations, wars, and identities, and he became a protector and patriarch of the Black Seminoles, also known as Seminole Maroons.

🛡️ Warrior and Diplomat

– Second Seminole War (1835–1842): John Horse rose to prominence as a leader of the Black Seminoles fighting alongside the Seminole Nation against U.S. forces.

– Negotiator and Guide: After initial resistance, he agreed to relocate west with the Seminoles in 1837, fearing re-enslavement. He later served as a U.S. Army interpreter and guide.

🌍 Transnational Freedom Fighter

– Flight to Mexico (1849): To escape the threat of slavery, Horse led a group of Black Seminoles and disaffected Indigenous allies to northern Mexico. There, they were granted land and became known as the Mascogos.

– Mexican Army Captain: In exchange for military service against Apache and Comanche raiders, Horse was named El Capitán Juan Caballo by Mexican authorities.

🧭 Legacy and Final Years

– Return to the U.S. (1870): He and many Mascogos settled near Fort Duncan, Texas. Though he didn’t serve directly, his people became the famed Seminole Negro Indian Scouts.

– Assassination Attempt and Final Mission: After surviving an attempt on his life by white Texans, he returned to Mexico and died in 1882 while advocating for his people before President Porfirio Díaz.

John Horse’s life is a testament to transborder resistance, cultural survival, and visionary leadership. He defied the boundaries of race, nation, and empire—crafting a legacy that still resonates in Black Seminole communities today.

N/A

CLASS OVERVIEW

Learn about The MeHarry Hospital; The Flying Medics; The Southbound Underground Railroad and Jeremiah Hamilton the first Black Millionaire  on Wall Street.

BEFORE YOU GET STARTED:

• Please check the materials that go with this lesson and print relevant materials.
• Also, check out the books and products the teachers use for further learning.
• Reach out to support@urbanintellectuals.com if you have any questions or issues.
• Some links may be affiliate links where we may earn a small commission from purchases.

Sources:

N/A

– Southbound Underground Railroad: While most people associate the Underground Railroad with routes heading north, recent scholarship has highlighted a lesser-known path—south to Mexico. Mexico abolished slavery in 1829 and welcomed freedom seekers. It’s estimated that between 3,000 and 10,000 enslaved people escaped to Mexico from southern states like Texas and Alabama.

– Alabama’s Role: Alabama had over 435,000 enslaved people by 1860, nearly half its population. Though there wasn’t an organized Underground Railroad in the state, many enslaved individuals escaped using steamboats, forged papers, or by blending into free Black communities. Some even traveled southward, aided by sympathetic individuals like Nathaniel Jackson, a white settler from Alabama who helped enslaved people cross into Mexico.

So while it wasn’t a single coordinated escape of 10,000 people from Alabama, the broader migration of thousands—including many from Alabama—toward Mexico for freedom is historically supported. It’s a powerful reminder of the resilience and ingenuity of those who resisted bondage.

Meharry Hospital’s origin is deeply rooted in a story of compassion, promise, and purpose. It all began in the 1820s when a young white salt trader named Samuel Meharry found himself stranded in Kentucky. A recently freed Black family took him in, fed him, and helped him get back on the road—despite the risks they faced from slave hunters. Deeply moved, Meharry vowed to one day repay their kindness by doing something meaningful for Black Americans.

Fast forward to 1876, just 11 years after the Civil War ended: Samuel Meharry and his four brothers fulfilled that promise by donating $30,000 in cash and property to establish a medical department at Central Tennessee College in Nashville. This department was the first medical school in the South dedicated to educating African Americans. It later became Meharry Medical College, which remains the largest private, historically Black academic health sciences center in the U.S..

The hospital itself grew out of this mission—to serve the underserved. Meharry’s faith-based roots in the United Methodist Church and its partnership with the Freedman’s Aid Society helped shape its ethos: “Worship of God Through Service to Mankind”.

It’s a legacy built not just on medicine, but on moral obligation, community uplift, and a promise kept across generations.

The Flying Black Medics were a pioneering team of African American healthcare professionals—doctors, nurses, social workers, dieticians, pharmacists, and biochemists—who flew from Chicago to underserved communities to provide free medical care and education during the 1970s. They were founded by Dr. Leonidas H. Berry, a renowned gastroenterologist and civil rights advocate.

🌍 Why They Were Formed

In 1970, Cairo, Illinois was in the midst of racial and economic turmoil. The Black community there had little to no access to healthcare, and segregation had created a medical desert. Dr. Berry, moved by the injustice, organized the Flying Black Medics to bring care directly to the people. They set up clinics in churches like Ward Chapel AME and treated patients who had been long neglected by the healthcare system.

🧠 Dr. Leonidas Berry’s Legacy

Dr. Berry wasn’t just a physician—he was an innovator. He developed the Eder-Berry biopsy attachment, which revolutionized how doctors examined the stomach without surgery. Despite his global reputation, he faced systemic racism, including being denied an attending position at Michael Reese Hospital for 17 years.

Jeremiah Hamilton

Oh, Jeremiah Hamilton is one of those figures who should be shouted from rooftops—but history tried to whisper him away. Let’s turn up the volume 📢.

🕴️ Who Was Jeremiah G. Hamilton?
Jeremiah Hamilton (ca. 1807–1875) was Wall Street’s first Black millionaire, a financial maverick who built a fortune estimated at $2 million in his time—equivalent to $250 million today. He was known as the “Prince of Darkness,” not for anything sinister, but because he operated boldly in a white-dominated financial world and refused to play by anyone’s rules but his own.

💼 Rise to Wealth
– He first made headlines in the 1820s after a counterfeit coin scandal in Haiti, narrowly escaping execution.
– In New York, he capitalized on the 1835 Great Fire, buying up devalued properties and flipping them for profit.
– He ran what we’d now call a hedge fund, leveraging investor money to make aggressive plays in the stock market.
– He even clashed with Cornelius Vanderbilt, one of the most powerful industrialists of the era, over control of the Accessory Transit Company.

🏠 Personal Life & Controversy
– Hamilton married Eliza Jane Morris, a white woman, and had eight children—a bold move in deeply racist 19th-century America.
– He was targeted during the 1863 Draft Riots, when white mobs tried to lynch him. His wife cleverly defused the situation by claiming he wasn’t home.
– Despite his wealth, he was ostracized by both white elites and Black intellectuals, who saw his pursuit of money as undignified.

🕯️ Legacy
Hamilton died of pneumonia in 1875, and though he was the richest Black man in America at the time, his death was barely noted. No known image of him survives, and for decades, he was left out of mainstream history.

Who was the President of the US that William Monroe Trotter had a meeting with twice?