Follow the Drinking Gourd
"Follow the Drinking Gourd" inspired slaves to take action for themselves, giving the slaves coded instructions on how to escape to freedom.
The drinking gourd refers to the constellation, the Big Dipper, which happens to point North.
"The river bed makes a mighty fine road" suggests that the slaves should use the river to cover up tracks.
"The river bed makes a mighty fine road" suggests that the slaves should use the river to cover up tracks.