Reference Reviews

Lawrence Looks at Books

The Underground Railroad: an Encyclopedia of People, Places, and Operations. Mary Ellen Snodgrass. 2 vols. 806p. Armonk, NY: Sharpe Reference, 2008. 978-0-7656-8093-8; 2007-9199. $199.

The Underground Railroad: an Encyclopedia of People, Places, and Operations In their discussions of events and issues, historians often depersonalize history, and unfortunately make the subject less accessible to students and general readers. With her latest work, veteran reference writer Mary Ellen Snodgrass has achieved quite the opposite effect. Most of the 1,500 plus entries of this groundbreaking guide recount the stories of hundreds of individuals involved with the Underground Railroad. This feat is all the more significant, because those same individuals, from escaped slaves and refugees to conductors and way-station keepers, often labored to keep their activities secret. In many cases, these anonymous agents of the railroad risked life, liberty and livelihood on behalf of total strangers. Their stories of sacrifice, service and suffering are an inspiration. In each case, Snodgrass provides sources of reference for the sake of documentation and further research. From quilt patterns and coded songs to bounty hunters and spies, other entries discuss the places, routes and methods employed by agents of the railroad, as well as the many dangers they encountered. Also examined are the efforts of southern slavers and politicians to stem the twin tides of abolitionism and escapes. Supplemental materials include a chronology, separate bibliographies of primary and secondary sources, and lists by state of both Underground Railroad passengers and operatives. Everyone named in the lists does not have a separate entry. However, the detailed index allows the user to easily locate their stories. A section of genealogies reveals the long-term, multigenerational commitment that many families made to alleviating the suffering of slaves. This remarkable compilation is highly recommended for school, public and academic libraries.

— John Lawrence