▁Massachusetts ▁is ▁about ▁the ▁ways ▁in ▁which ▁the ▁residents ▁of ▁New ▁Bed ford , ▁Massachusetts ▁fought ▁for ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁sla very ▁and ▁provided ▁support ▁to ▁fug itive ▁slaves ▁who ▁sought ▁freedom . ▁Position ed ▁on ▁the ▁East ▁Coast ▁of ▁the ▁United ▁States , ▁New ▁Bed ford ▁was ▁called ▁the ▁" wh aling ▁capital ▁of ▁the ▁world ". ▁Sh ips ▁were ▁returning ▁to ▁port , ▁with ▁crew ▁members ▁with ▁diverse ▁background s , ▁languages , ▁and ▁eth nic ity . ▁This ▁made ▁it ▁easy ▁for ▁fug itive ▁slaves ▁to ▁" mix ▁in " ▁with ▁crew ▁members . ▁The ▁wh aling ▁and ▁sh ipping ▁indust ries ▁were ▁also ▁uniqu ely ▁open ▁to ▁people ▁of ▁color . ▁ ▁Although ▁only ▁about ▁ 1 5 % ▁of ▁the ▁town ▁supported ▁abol ition — and ▁the ▁town ' s ▁abol ition ists ▁had ▁different ▁view points ▁about ▁inter mar riage , ▁equal ▁opportunity , ▁and ▁full ▁integration — it ▁provided ▁opportun ities ▁for ▁home ▁ownership , ▁education , ▁att ain ment ▁of ▁a ▁stable ▁income , ▁and ▁the ▁ability ▁of ▁African - Amer icans ▁to ▁help ▁others ▁escape ▁sla very ▁on ▁the ▁Under ground ▁Rail road . ▁At ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁ 1 8 5 3 , ▁New ▁Bed ford ▁had ▁the ▁highest ▁percentage ▁of ▁African ▁Americans ▁than ▁any ▁other ▁city ▁in ▁the ▁N ort he astern ▁United ▁States . ▁ ▁Ab ol ition ists ▁brought ▁in ▁lect ur ers , ▁including ▁former ▁slaves , ▁to ▁speak ▁about ▁the ▁horror s ▁of ▁sla very . ▁Frederick ▁Doug