Through the Grape Vine.

"Though I was a mere child during the preparation for the Civil War and during the war itself, I now recall the many late-at-night whispered discussion that I heard my mother and the other slaves on the plantation indulge in."

This quote is from the Bread and News Paper Packet, a selection from Booker T. Washington's book Up From Slavery. This quote is him talking about hearing his mom and slaves passing information through word of mouth. This was otherwise known as the "Grape Vine". This was a way in which slaves kept themsleves informed about events. This Grape Vine telegraph was widespread and was a from of expanding public communication from plantation to plantation. This news would come from mail carriers who would gain informations by ease dropping into the white people's conversations.