RTA Media alum Margot Daley on the use of cutting-edge technology in new critical series about North America’s Freedom Seekers
In time to honour Black History Month, new must-see docu-series ‘Underground Railroad: The Secret History (external link, opens in new window) ,’ delves into the lost and hidden history of the clandestine network of abolitionists and safehouses used to help African Americans escape enslavement in the American South, oftentimes to Canada. Narrated by actor-director Clark Johnson, the four-part series debuts Tuesday, Feb. 8 at 8PM ET on Discovery Canada (external link, opens in new window) . The project was series-produced by RTA Media alum (‘90) Margot Daley (external link, opens in new window) who shares her experience working on this necessary show and its importance as part of our shared national narrative.
Trailer for new television series on the Underground Railroad
'Underground Railroad: The Secret History' is described as a series that uncovers the secret passages, safehouses and communities that provided refuge to Freedom Seekers. By using cutting-edge technology and extensive historical and archeological research, the series unearths new information about little-known stops on the Underground Railroad.
‘Underground Railroad: The Secret History’ series producer Margot Daley
“We all hoped for this series to provide a modern fresh point of view from a diverse roster of experts, leading Black archeologists and historians and new voices representing the next generation of Underground Railroad academics at the forefront of Underground Railroad research,” says Daley.
Black settlements and the promise of freedom
Having abolished slavery in 1793, Canada served as an important refuge for settlement for many African Americans seeking freedom.
“We know that Canada was truly a land of opportunity for many Freedom Seekers since the country had abolished slavery nationally years ahead of the United States (slavery was not abolished in the US until 1865),” says Daley. “But the narrative often stops there, without deeper insight into what happened afterwards, where exactly these settlements were located and, importantly, more in-depth understanding about their historical significance.”
Image courtesy of Attraction Media Inc.
In fact, the series explores the history of African Americans settling in Canada.
“The reality for Freedom Seekers in Canada (or Upper Canada at the time) was very complex,” explains Daley. “Many were welcomed, supported and went on to build amazing communities and family legacies that continue until today. However, that wasn’t the case for everyone; some Black settlements faced tremendous obstacles, others were lost or nearly forgotten. We spoke to descendants and Canadian historians, keepers of this little-known history, in an attempt to preserve these important stories.”
Employing modern technology to uncover our past
For Daley, the results of the work done by her media production team at Attraction (external link) to bring the series to life demonstrated a commitment to telling these important histories powerfully, from a fresh perspective and through a Black lens.
Image courtesy of Attraction Media Inc.
“The hope was to be able to add new insights to the conversation about the Underground Railroad, especially through the lens of hard science,” shares Daley. “Archeology and technology are helping to shed light on what is sometimes only known orally.”
The series uses modern technology like thermal drones, LiDAR, GPR and GIS to map and record hidden underground tunnels, remote caves and thriving yet isolated communities used by African Americans escaping enslavement, providing rich context for this historical period and honouring the legacy of the brave individuals who made up the network.
Harriet Tubman: Conductor on the Underground Railroad
For Daley, some of the biggest challenges in telling these stories were location and logistics; for example, in examining maroon communities in the United States.
Maroon societies describe large groups of Africans and African Americans who escaped to remote and secluded areas to form independent, hidden communities, and which represented a significant form of resistance to slavery.
“We shot all over the United States and in Southern Ontario, traveling to some hard to reach, remote locations from swamps in the Mid Atlantic, to a former free Black community in a deep forest in Illinois,” she shares. “And from a remote location in rural Florida hours from the nearest town, to overgrown, hard-to-access towns in Kansas.”
Image courtesy of Attraction Media Inc.
Image courtesy of Attraction Media Inc.
The series also uncovers important details about the antislavery activists behind the elaborate network, as well as insight into the courageous Freedom Seekers that made these life-risking journeys. By recovering these lost histories the series hopes to deepen understanding of the incredible significance and impact of the radical system that was the Underground Railroad.
Daley says she was fascinated by new information that emerged surrounding leading abolitionist and historical icon Harriet Tubman, like the details about her upbringing which an archeological team was working to piece together in Maryland.
“Most know her name and her important connection to Canada,” she asserts. “But a lot of the newest findings are helping to connect the dots about how she was able to successfully bring so many Freedom Seekers to Canada.”
Image courtesy of Attraction Media Inc.
Sparking dialogue and locating Black Canadians within our national history
Daley hopes this series provokes dialogue as we honour the contributions of Black Canadians this month, and believes these recovered histories will help to locate Black Canadians within our national history and add to our collective identity.
“I hope the show stirs more conversations about these former Black settlements wherever they existed,” says Daley. “And that it encourages descendants to share their knowledge and spark even more research and documentation of this aspect of Canadian History.”
Underground Railroad: The Secret History, a four-part docu-series, premieres Tuesday, Feb. 8 at 8 p.m. ET on Discovery Channel. Viewers can join the conversation on social media by using the hashtag #UndergroundRailroadTheSecretHistory and follow Discovery Canada on Facebook (external link, opens in new window) , Instagram (external link, opens in new window) , and Twitter (external link, opens in new window) for the latest updates.
Underground Railroad: The Secret History is Directed by Phillip Daniels, Series Producer is Margot Daley. Producer is Nicole Hamilton, Executive Producers are Joey Case and Richard Speer for Attraction.
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