November 3 was Emancipation Day in the State of Maryland. Although slavery was not abolished in Maryland until 1864, the Religious Society of Friends, or Quakers, outlawed the owning of slaves by its members in 1777. In Sandy Spring, Maryland (not far from my house) free blacks owned their own homes, attended organized churches and schools. Quakers and free slaves assisted escaping slaves via the "Underground Railroad."

WIth hurricane Noel skirting up the East Coast the forecast was for stiff winds and cool air. It looked like a good day to skip my regular Saturday morning outrigger workout and join a hike. The Emancipation Day Hike was a joint hike by the local Sierra Club and the Appalachian Mountain Club. Having grown up in North Carolina I'm a little behind on Maryland history. Also having been raised in the segregated south I'm more than a little behind on the history of slaves. This was a very informative hike.



After meeting at Woodlawn Manor the group took a short hike into the woods. It is believed that the woods in this area was part of the Underground Railroad. The Underground Railroad wasn't really a railroad but a system of people and places organized to help slaves escape to freedom. The path to freedom was often carried in songs that they learned or woven into quilts. There were special symbols marked on trees to designate paths. Helping slaves escape was against the law and those caught often faced years of imprisonment.

Slaves seeking freedom would often escape at Christmas since they wouldn't be missed for several days or during a rain storm because the rain would wash away their tracks. Although our hike was on a well worn path, the slaves would not have spent much time traveling on such a path for fear of being caught. They would have sought out shelter in the thick brambles because dogs, men and horses all shy away from the thick thorny bushes. Escaping slaves faced many obstacles and the majority did not make it.

When I hear people talk about slavery it seems like something that happened another time. But when you think about it 1864 wasn't that long ago.

On a happier note ... I have some new hiking and backpacking gear. And I'm hoping to test it out soon.

-Susanita