5 of 7

Write now Article Tools

Page 2 of 2

is you look at the next block-drunkard's path is code for moving in a staggered path to keep the bounty hunters confused."

Ozella Williams claim has been met with a lot of speculation. When Angela Dodson reviewed the secret code known as "the Charleston code." She said this: If an escape was planned, quilts using the Charleston code were hung on a line in succession to describe a route all the way to Canada."

Some historians speculate that there were ten different designs meaning ten different quilts with a knot tying pattern as part of the code. If a runaway saw the first quilt hanging outside it meant gather up the tools for the escape. The next quilt would have tumbling blocks giving the message to pack up your belongings. By displaying one quilt at a time the slaves could study and memorize the information. Once all ten quilts had been hung out the slaves would have a green light to escape."

The most important part of the code is the knotting-there are five square knots every two inches on her freedom quilt. The knots two inches apart on the quilts, may have acted as a map with a scale correlating to known distances between safe houses up north. The number of knots also had meaning, increasing from one on the first quilt to five on the final quilts. Five knots, in all likelihood, signaled that it was time for the slaves to escape. Ozella Williams says that the knots were likely made of hemp, because it would be easier to see.

Some critics doubt the possibility of a freedom quilt-considering the time period and the limited ability to read it seems very probable that pictures were used to communicate. Perhaps it is too hard for modern individuals to swallow the measures slaves would go through for their freedom. Using pictures for communication is effective and the use of pictures on an everyday object would have concealed the truth. It appears that the freedom quilt worked so well that even today it sounds fantastical.

Learn more about this author, R. Warner.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.

• << previous page
• 1
• 2

Add your voice

Know something about Black history: How freedom quilts were used as signals and maps along the Underground Railroad?
We want to hear your view. Write now!