I’ve been thinking a lot about the Underground Railroad since completing my thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail two years ago. As many of our listeners are surely aware by now, I’ve been working on a documentary podcast series about my Appalachian Trail journey, and I’m particularly interested in exploring the history of the land that the trail passes through. As Anthony Cohen points out in this episode, legends abound about Harriett Tubman using sections of what has become the Appalachian Trail in her journeys along the Underground Railroad. These legends aren’t exactly accurate, but I was fascinated by the idea and eager to learn more about Tubman and the Underground Railroad.
Anthony Cohen was the perfect person to talk to because he decided back in the ‘90s that walking one of the routes of the Underground Railroad might be the best way to learn about it. So in 1996, Cohen set out to re-trace one particular route that he has identified through his research. He traveled 1,200 miles from Maryland to Canada on foot, boat and rail, and the experience shaped the trajectory of his career as a historian.
Maybe the most fascinating story that Anthony shared was his attempt to recreate the experience of Henry “Box” Brown, who mailed himself to freedom inside a shipping crate in 1849. As a part of his Underground Railroad journey, Anthony climbed inside a shipping crate and was mailed (via an Amtrak train) from Philadelphia to New York.
In addition to sharing stories from his journey and discussing his current work at the Button Farm Living History Center, Anthony and I talked about what it’s like to walk long distances and learned that we’d had some common experiences. At one point he flipped the script and started asking me questions!
I’m deeply grateful to Anthony for taking the time to speak with me and share his knowledge and expertise. I hope that you all enjoy the conversation as much as I did!
-Matt Podolsky
The Nature of the Underground Railroad with Anthony Cohen