Shadows over Odessa: A Diary of the Underground Railroad
October 14, 1852
The autumn wind howling off the Appoquinimink Creek carries a chill that seems to seep directly into my bones, though I suspect my shivering tonight has less to do with the weather and more to do with the lingering adrenaline of yesterday evening. Living here in Cantwell’s Bridge—which some are beginning to call Odessa—one learns to observe the world in silence. Our brick house sits just down the road from the grand hearth of the Corbit-Sharp House, a beacon of Quaker prosperity and, more importantly, a secret sanctuary for those seeking the promise of the North Star. To the casual observer, we are merely quiet neighbors tending to our orchards and tanneries, but beneath this veneer of colonial tranquility lies a clandestine network of defiance.
- clandestine:
- Done in secret, often because it is illegal or forbidden.
- abolitionist:
- A person who supported the immediate ending of slavery.
- complicity:
- Involvement or partnership in a harmful or illegal act.
- sanctuary:
- A safe place that offers protection or refuge from danger.
Educational example text · Diary Entry
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- 1Where is the story set, and what is the town's historical and newer name mentioned in the passage?
- 2What was the exact signal that alerted the narrator to the arrival of the runaway slaves?
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About this diary entry passage for Middle School
“Shadows over Odessa: A Diary of the Underground Railroad” is a diary entry reading passage about The Underground Railroad in Delaware, written for Middle School. It takes about 4 minutes to read (575 words) and comes with an interactive quiz and a printable worksheet with comprehension questions and an answer key.