Beginning with a review of American slavery, this program describes one famous slave escape route from the South: the “Eastern Line” of the Underground Railroad, which ran from Maryland's eastern shore to Delaware, Pennsylvania and points north, as documented by free African-American William Still, who kept records on every fugitive slave aided by the Pennsylvania Anti-Slavery Society. Great music, sets, costuming, and dramatic reenactments (with Ed Asner as Quaker Thomas Garrett and Blair Underwood as Still), along with excellent narration, make this tape very appealing. However, there are serious mistakes in the supporting material (although not the tape itself) which must be carefully considered. To wit: the teacher's guide states in three places that Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation “freed all slaves,” which is not true: the proclamation only affected slaves in Confederate states not occupied by the North; slaves in the Union states of Delaware, Maryland, and even the District of Columbia were not freed until after the war and the passage of the 13th Amendment. Given that history teachers are even more particular about accuracy and detail than library catalogers, this will be likely to generate complaints, making this otherwise solid title an optional purchase. Libraries might also want to consider lower-priced alternatives such as A&E's Underground Railroad (VL-9/99). Aud: J, H, P. (R. Reagan)
The Underground Railroad
(1999) 30 min. $195 (teacher’s guide included). AIMS Multimedia. PPR. ISBN: 0-8068-0870-5. Volume 17, Issue 3
The Underground Railroad
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