It is the stories of freedom seekers who bravely escaped enslavement, and their allies who defended their right to freedom, that make up the heart of Underground Railroad History. This landing page provides a sample of stories of the people at the heart of the Underground Railroad. Click on the links below to learn more about the person pictured.
The photographs and corresponding links are organized in alphabetical order by first name.
Reverend Leonard Grimes
Learn more about Underground Railroad operative, abolitionist, and activist Reverend Leonard Grimes.
Levi Coffin
Learn more about Underground Railroad operative Levi Coffin. Image Credit: Indiana Historical Society.
Lewis Hayden
Learn more about freedom seeker, Underground Railroad operative, and Civil Rights activist Lewis Hayden. Image Credit State Library of MA.
Mary Ann Shadd Cary
Learn more about Underground Railroad operative, activist, writer, and teacher, Mary Ann Shadd Cary. Library and Archives Canada / C-029977.
Robert Smalls
Learn more about freedom seeker Robert Smalls and others . Image Credit Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division.
Robert F. Wallcut
Learn more about Underground Railroad operative and abolitionist Robert F. Walcutt. Image Credit Massachusetts Historical Society.
Last updated: April 6, 2026