American History: Slavery in US

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American History: Slavery
What were the options for a slave considering running away?
The slaves desired freedom and runaway, and some of them moved to uninhabited areas and pretended to be free. The fugitive slaves passed as freedmen and especially those familiar with white culture. "Fugitive slaves lived in the shadows of eighteenth-century cities, searching for anonymity among the masses" (Dunbar 33). Thus, runaways tended to seek the safe havens that provided anonymity, but those who went it alone faced more challenges as they lacked information and resources to facilitate their escape. In addition, fugitive slaves and runaways risked being punished and extreme cases, death, and escaping to areas where they could live as free men and women were the best options for most. However, this meant they had to move further away from the colonies, and southern states where slavery was widely accepted and killing runaways was legal.
The runaways slaves considered different means of escape, such as the railroad, horses, and some disguised themselves. Many considered escaping under cover of darkness where it was more challenging to capture them. In many cases, slaves had to seek the help of others and make clandestine arrangements, but the challenge was how to escape successfully and not be recaptured. Those who helped slaves reach the North's towns and cities often had experience with other runaways, but if the slaves were on their own, they had to find ways to escape and act as freedmen and women. For example, Ona Judge George Washington/s slave escaped one evening from Philadelphia to New Hampshire, where she rem...