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Songs of the Underground Railroad

The North Star is on a line from the Big Dipper's stars Merak (β) to Dubhe (α), continued for five times its distance. "Follow the drinking gourd" may mean to use the Big Dipper to find the way north

Songs of the Underground Railroad were spiritual and work songs used during the early-to-mid 19th century in the United States to encourage and convey coded information to escaping slaves as they moved along the various Underground Railroad routes. As it was illegal in most slave states to teach slaves to read or write, songs were used to communicate messages and directions about when, where, and how to escape, and warned of dangers and obstacles along the route.