This week!!! If you are in the Madison area, please join us for this free public symposium in honor of the 250th anniversary of American independence.

Freedom Seekers: Stories of Black Liberation in the Am. Rev.@freedomseekers.bsky.social · 4mo ago

Join us in Madison, April 23 for a free public symposium exploring the work of the Freedom Seekers project! Help us commemorate the 250th anniversary of the United States by honoring the stories of people who fled slavery during the revolutionary era. Reserve your free tickets at: go.wisc.edu/j7q5g9

Join us in Madison, April 23 for a free public symposium exploring the work of the Freedom Seekers project! Help us commemorate the 250th anniversary of the United States by honoring the stories of people who fled slavery during the revolutionary era. Reserve your free tickets at: go.wisc.edu/j7q5g9

Join us in Madison, April 23 for a free public symposium exploring the work of the Freedom Seekers project! Help us commemorate the 250th anniversary of the United States by honoring the stories of people who fled slavery during the revolutionary era. Reserve your free tickets at: go.wisc.edu/j7q5g9

Free Poll took advantage of the possibilities offered during the American Revolution to declare her own freedom, live with her husband, find paying work, and fashion a life in a growing community of Black Philadelphians. Read Billy Smith’s telling of her story: freedom-seekers.org/story/free-p...

When enslaved women ran away, freedom was surely a hope, but often the goal was simply survival. This was Letitia’s predicament when she escaped her Boston enslaver in 1739. Read Gloria Whiting’s moving recovery of Letitia’s life: freedom-seekers.org/story/letitia/

When enslaved women ran away, freedom was surely a hope, but often the goal was simply survival. This was Letitia’s predicament when she escaped her Boston enslaver in 1739. Read Gloria Whiting’s moving recovery of Letitia’s life: freedom-seekers.org/story/letitia/

Free Poll took advantage of the possibilities offered during the American Revolution to declare her own freedom, live with her husband, find paying work, and fashion a life in a growing community of Black Philadelphians. Read Billy Smith’s telling of her story: freedom-seekers.org/story/free-p...

By July 4th 1776 Achilles had already freed himself. He had eloped in April, not long after arriving in Jamaica from West Africa. Read Simon Newman’s account of Achilles’ escape from Belvidere Plantation: freedom-seekers.org/story/achill...

For us in the present, runaway advertisements offer windows into the lives of the enslaved. For 19th century abolitionists, these advertisements exposed the absurdity of human bondage. Check out @adamrothman.bsky.social excellent new article for the JAH: academic.oup.com/jah/article-...

Slip the Yoke and Change the Joke: How Abolitionists Used Runaway Slave Advertisements to Ridicule Slavery

Speaking to an abolitionist audience in New York City in May 1856, William Wells Brown read an advertisement sliced from the New Orleans Daily Picayune:

academic.oup.com

In the fall of 1794, Crispin escaped his enslaver in search of freedom. Wearing his own revolutionary cockade, Crispin made his way to the French island of Saint Domingue (now Haiti 🇭🇹). Read Billy Smith’s telling of the story of “Citizen Crispin”: freedom-seekers.org/story/crispin/

Briefly returning from my social media hiatus to share that my article for the Journal of the Early Republic, on Philadelphian freedom-seeking in the Haitian Revolutionary diaspora, is now live (thank you to @chelseastieber.bsky.social for alerting me!). muse.jhu.edu/pub/12/artic...

James Teernon escaped from his enslaver in November 1760 and joined the crew of the Dragon. But the Dragon was a slave ship. The runaway was finding freedom for himself aboard a ship bound for Africa. Read Simon Newman’s incredible recovery of James’ story: freedom-seekers.org/story/james-...

James Teernon escaped from his enslaver in November 1760 and joined the crew of the Dragon. But the Dragon was a slave ship. The runaway was finding freedom for himself aboard a ship bound for Africa. Read Simon Newman’s incredible recovery of James’ story: freedom-seekers.org/story/james-...

Prince Greene was 24 when he escaped his enslaver. A year later, Prince enlisted in the 1st Rhode Island Regiment. After surviving battles, disease, and even winter in Valley Forge, he left the war as a free man. Read Simon Newman’s telling of Prince’s epic story: freedom-seekers.org/story/prince...

On Tuesday 2/24, our own Gloria Whiting will be discussing her first book, Belonging, as part of @americanancestors.bsky.social American Inspiration author series. Register to view the live broadcast here: www.americanancestors.org/events/belon...

Gloria McCahon Whiting on "Belonging" | American Ancestors

This multi award-winning work of history explores how Black New Englanders maintained a sense of belonging among their kin in the face of slavery.

americanancestors.org

Prince Greene was 24 when he escaped his enslaver. A year later, Prince enlisted in the 1st Rhode Island Regiment. After surviving battles, disease, and even winter in Valley Forge, he left the war as a free man. Read Simon Newman’s telling of Prince’s epic story: freedom-seekers.org/story/prince...

On Tuesday 2/24, our own Gloria Whiting will be discussing her first book, Belonging, as part of @americanancestors.bsky.social American Inspiration author series. Register to view the live broadcast here: www.americanancestors.org/events/belon...

Gloria McCahon Whiting on "Belonging" | American Ancestors

This multi award-winning work of history explores how Black New Englanders maintained a sense of belonging among their kin in the face of slavery.

americanancestors.org

Also make sure to check out Nadege Forde-Vidal’s incredible work with the Sankofa London Schools Project: sankofalondonschools.co.uk

Sankofa London Schools Project

sankofalondonschools.co.uk

Freedom Seekers: Stories of Black Liberation in the Am. Rev.@freedomseekers.bsky.social · 6mo ago

Sisters Jane and Maria Gray escaped their enslaver’s residence in the Shadwell area of London in 1758. They were both born in Antigua, yet managed to stay together as they made new lives in Britain. Learn more about their story, as told by Nadege Forde-Vidal: freedom-seekers.org/story/jane-a...

Sisters Jane and Maria Gray escaped their enslaver’s residence in the Shadwell area of London in 1758. They were both born in Antigua, yet managed to stay together as they made new lives in Britain. Learn more about their story, as told by Nadege Forde-Vidal: freedom-seekers.org/story/jane-a...

The ad Robert Wickes placed was unusual. The man he sought, 31 year-old Newport, had been free for several years and was “infused with some Notions of Religion.” Find out more about Newport in one of Simon Newman’s most intriguing stories: freedom-seekers.org/story/newpor...

The ad Robert Wickes placed was unusual. The man he sought, 31 year-old Newport, had been free for several years and was “infused with some Notions of Religion.” Find out more about Newport in one of Simon Newman’s most intriguing stories: freedom-seekers.org/story/newpor...

Before he was known as Colonel Tye, the legendary loyalist raider, his enslavers called him Titus. Read the story of Titus and his pursuit of freedom as recounted by our undergraduate intern Rhea Yenubari. Story link here and in our bio: freedom-seekers.org/story/titus-...

Before he was known as Colonel Tye, the legendary loyalist raider, his enslavers called him Titus. Read the story of Titus and his pursuit of freedom as recounted by our undergraduate intern Rhea Yenubari. Story link here and in our bio: freedom-seekers.org/story/titus-...

Even his enslavers had to admit, Thomas Boman was an extraordinary man. When he escaped his enslavers in March 1752 he disappeared into the landscape of the Carolinas. Read Thomas’ story as told by our undergraduate intern Haleigh Smith: freedom-seekers.org/story/thomas...

Robert Thomas was a proud and capable man. According to his enslaver he spoke “deliberately” and was “more correct in conversation than person of his color usually are.” In the summer of 1808, he seized his freedom. Read his story as told by our intern Mia Pyle: freedom-seekers.org/story/robert...

Robert Thomas was a proud and capable man. According to his enslaver he spoke “deliberately” and was “more correct in conversation than person of his color usually are.” In the summer of 1808, he seized his freedom. Read his story as told by our intern Mia Pyle: freedom-seekers.org/story/robert...

By the time Joe escaped his enslaver, he had seen much of the revolutionary Atlantic world. Born in Guadeloupe he traveled to New York and S. Carolina before landing in Philadelphia. Read the surprising story of Joe’s escape as told by our intern Molly Laughlin: freedom-seekers.org/story/joe-au...

By the time Joe escaped his enslaver, he had seen much of the revolutionary Atlantic world. Born in Guadeloupe he traveled to New York and S. Carolina before landing in Philadelphia. Read the surprising story of Joe’s escape as told by our intern Molly Laughlin: freedom-seekers.org/story/joe-au...

“Runaway advertisements often seethe with anger, but few expose the emotional unraveling of an enslaver as vividly as James Hutchings’ notice for a freedom seeker named Sarah.” So writes our intern Anika Feinsilver in her unflinching telling of Sarah’s story: freedom-seekers.org/story/sarah-...

“Runaway advertisements often seethe with anger, but few expose the emotional unraveling of an enslaver as vividly as James Hutchings’ notice for a freedom seeker named Sarah.” So writes our intern Anika Feinsilver in her unflinching telling of Sarah’s story: freedom-seekers.org/story/sarah-...