The Underground Railroad for many of us symbolizes the journey African slaves went on in the name of freedom. But, contrary to popular belief, the first path wasn't south to north. Instead, it was north to south. Spanish Florida was an independent entity and many enslaved Africans in the Carolinas and Georgia knew that if they escaped, they'd be granted asylum, as well as their freedom. For nearly a century, hundreds of slaves took the same journey south and crossed the border. However, in 1790, facing pressure from the United States government, Florida agreed to stop accepting slaves. This halted the passage for a moment in time.