This is the story of how Canada and the Underground Railroad became the focal point of the anti-slavery movement in the tumultuous decade leading up to the American Civil War. The Underground Railroad enabled thousands of black refugees to flee the oppression of the only nation in the western world that still condoned the practice of slavery. Using manuscripts and letters to create dramatic reconstructions, this documentary tells the stories of these remarkable men and dramatically portrays the unique role Canada plays in helping to end a barbaric system that subjugated more than five million men, women and children.