Final answer:
The Canadian border was significant for African American refugees escaping enslavement; some found success and freedom in Canada, despite facing racial prejudice and economic challenges.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question, "why was the Canadian border successful for the untouchables," seems to relate to the history of African American refugees in Canada. After escaping enslavement in America, some African Americans found success in Canada, forming businesses and becoming newspaper editors, politicians, and social activists.
For example, Thornton and Lucie Blackburn established Toronto's first taxi cab company, while Mary Ann Shadd Cary and Henry Bibb started two of Canada's first Black newspapers. These success stories happened despite the racial prejudices and economic hardships that many experienced in Canada.
Freedom in Canada was certainly more appealing compared to enslavement in the South despite the challenges. The Canadian border represented a threshold beyond which African Americans could hope to build new lives with greater autonomy. The successes of individuals like the Blackburns reflect the potential opportunities that existed for these refugees, though such opportunities were not universal and were often coupled with discrimination and the threat of being sent back to the United States.