Running a Thousand Miles for Freedom

De: Ellen Craft, William Craft

Narrado por: Tom Weiss

Written in 1860 in the language of the day by William and Ellen Craft, Running a Thousand Miles for Freedom tells the story of a husband and wife's plight to escape slavery in 1848 Georgia. Unlike many slaves who escaped in the dead of night chased by slave hunters and bloodhounds, the Crafts traveled in first-class trains, dined with a steamboat captain, and stayed in the best hotels during their escape to Philadelphia and freedom. Ellen, who was nearly white, disguised herself as a young male cotton planter traveling with his slave, William. At the time, slaveholders could take their slaves to any state, slave, or free. William concocted the plan to hide in plain sight, but ultimately it was Ellen who convincingly masked her race, her gender, and her social status during their four-day trip.

Eventually settling in Boston for two years after Philadelphia, the Crafts found their safety was not guaranteed there with the passage of the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850. This Act required that all escaped slaves, upon capture, be returned to their masters and that officials and citizens of Free states had to cooperate. The Act contributed to the growing polarization of the country over the issue of slavery and is considered one of the causes of the Civil War. It is arguably the most hated and openly violated piece of federal legislation in the nation's history. The Crafts fled to England in 1850 where their security was guaranteed.

Public Domain (P)2021 Tom Weiss

First hand account

I really like the fact that this was a first hand account and was written many years prior to the Civil War. His detail of the ruthless actions of people who own slaves is important for everybody to know. The incredible way that he and his wife made their way to the north is just fascinating. So glad he took the time to write this during his lifetime.

Short but good

Enjoyed this as a prequel to Master Slave Husband Wife. A great introduction to this couple.

how can escape to freedom not be 5 stars?

performance: originally, I felt like I had some issues with the narrator. I read these reviews and it was validated. but it's wrong. and it's an easy fix. the narrator sounds like he has a facial/mouth difference that affects his speech when making some "s" words. If you increase the speed to even 1.2, the hesitation as he says those words disappears, without you losing ability to follow the pace of his narration. once I did this about halfway through, I enjoyed him so much more and was able to focus on the story more.

story: I just finished Incidents in the Life... before this, and the fact these former enslaved people persevered and showed ingenuity and the art of cunning and disguise, hiding in plain sight is inspiring. I can't imagine what relief they must have felt, especially after the fugitive slave act was implemented, to be in not only a free state but a free country. what is similar in both books is the Society of Friends which helped enslaved people escape to freedom.

overall: I appreciate that although this is a fairly short read, the background is covered well in part 1 and part 2 concisely shares their journey and experiences. I appreciated the closing with the authors' insertion of what they had seen versus what they had experienced, and the brutality that the world at that time needed to be more aware of.

Bad reader Great book

Such a victorious book ,but the reader is totally disappointing ! Such a book deserved so much more out of a reader.