The Underground Railroad : analyzing the way to freedom, 2018

Item — Call Number: MU Thesis Ham

Identifier: b7927967

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

From the Collection:

The collection consists of theses written by students enrolled in the Monmouth University graduate Anthropology program. The holdings are primarily bound print documents that were submitted in partial fulfillment of university requirements for the Master of Arts degree.

From the Collection:

During the fall 2022 semester (in instances where the requisite waivers were received from consenting student authors), the Monmouth University Library, together with the University's Graduate School and Wayne D. McMurray School of Humanities and Social Sciences, began providing open access to select full-text digital versions of current theses and dissertations through links to the ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global website in the Library's Online Public Access Catalog. Links to these open access digital publications can also be found in the "External Documents" section under any conforming titles that are listed among the holdings itemized in the collection inventory for this finding aid.

Dates

Creation: 2018

Creator

Hamilton, Tecolia (1984- ) (Author, Person)
Davidov, Veronica, 1978- (Thesis advisor, Person)
Veit, Richard F. (1968- ) (Thesis advisor, Person)

Conditions Governing Access

The collection is open for research use. Access is by appointment only.

Access to the collection is confined to the Monmouth University Library and is subject to patron policies approved by the Monmouth University Library.

Collection holdings may not be borrowed through interlibrary loan.

Research appointments are scheduled by the Monmouth University Library Archives Collections Manager (723-923-4526). A minimum of three days advance notice is required to arrange a research appointment for access to the collection.

Patrons must complete a Researcher Registration Form and provide appropriate identification to gain access to the collection holdings. Copies of these documents will be kept on file at the Monmouth University Library.

Extent

1 Items (print book) : 86 pages ; 8.5 x 11.0 inches (28 cm).

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Abstract

This thesis is an analysis of the methods used to operate the Underground Railroad. As a form of resistance to slavery, most slaves began to seek a way out of bondage. Some of these ways were legal, but the most infamous way was illegally, through the Underground Railroad. The purpose of this thesis was to explore the legal ways to freedom and see if they could have been as effective as the Underground Railroad's system. Some legal methods examined was how slaves purchase freedom, petitioned in court to be free, and how some slaves impulsively manipulated their slave masters. To analyze the effectiveness of the three legal ways to freedom, the stories of Peter McNelly, Jane Johnson, Lucy Delaney, and John Berry Meachum are scrutinized. They way they obtained their freedom, how long it took to achieve it, and the consequences that resulted from them trying to do so are discussed as a way to compare effectiveness.

Partial Contents

Acknowledgements -- List of figures -- Abstract -- 1. Introduction -- 2. The background -- 3. What others said before me -- 4. The Peter Mott House -- 5. The Quakers of Haddonfield -- 6. Legal freedom -- 7. The conclusion -- List of references.