"Follow the Drinking Gourd"

Follow the Drinking Gourd Reading Guide

"Winter's story begins with a peg-leg sailor who aids slaves on their escape on the Underground Railroad. While working for plantation owners, Peg Leg Joe teaches the slaves a song about the drinking gourd (the Big Dipper). A couple, their son, and two others make their escape by following the song's directions.

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OBJECTIVE

In reading this story and engaging in a fun learning activity young readers will build reading skills, develop critical thinking skills and make connections between characters in stories and real people.

CHALLENGE WORDS

■ Slavery: the practice of owning people as property.

■ Underground Railroad: secret routes and methods that slaves took to escape to freedom.

Description texTalk about the book and the main character Peg Leg Joe, Molly, James, Isaiah, Old Hattie and George. What do we know about slavery in the United States? Talk about the Underground Railroad and railroad terminology. Can anyone name another famous escape slave who used the Underground Railroad to gain freedom?
While reading the book think about the experiences of story’s main characters. How do they connect or how do they know each other?
Describe the story in your own words. What is the sequence of events? How did characters Molly, James, Isaiah, Old Hattie and George come to escape? What do you think would have happened if they were caught escaping? Why was the song so important? Was it dangerous for the Peg Leg Joe and others like him to teach slaves the song Follow the Drinking Gourd?

Let us listen to the song and sing along. What do the words mean?

Leon Bibb: Recorded Fall, 1962 as part of Harry Belafonte's monumental "Long Road to Freedom" project. Not released until 2001. Note that this is the only version based directly on the Parks original. Leon's son Eric has also recorded a version of the song.

http://www.followthedrinkinggourd.org/Music/5-Bibb,Leon.FollowTheDrinkingGourd.mp3

Lyrics

When the Sun comes back
And the first quail calls
Follow the drinking gourd,
For the old man is a-waiting for to carry you to freedom
If you follow the drinking gourd

The riverbank makes a very good road.
The dead trees will show you the way.
Left foot, peg foot, traveling on,
Follow the drinking gourd.

The river ends between two hills
Follow the drinking gourd.
There’s another river on the other side
Follow the drinking gourd.

When the great big river meets the little river
Follow the drinking gourd.
For the old man is a-waiting for to carry to freedom
If you follow the drinking gourd.