In 1848 William and Ellen Craft made one of the most daring and remarkable escapes in the history of slavery in America. With fair-skinned Ellen in the guise of a white male planter and William posing as her servant, the Crafts traveled by rail and ship--in plain sight and relative luxury--from bondage in Macon, Georgia, to freedom first in Philadelphia, then Boston, and ultimately England. This edition of their thrilling story is newly typeset from the original 1860 text. Eleven annotated supplementary readings, drawn from a variety of contemporary sources, help to place the Crafts’ story within the complex cultural currents of transatlantic abolitionism.
Eunsun Kim was born in North Korea, one of the most secretive and oppressive countries in the modern world. As a child Eunsun loved her country...despite her school field trips to public executions, daily self-criticism sessions, and the increasing gnaw of hunger as the country-wide famine escalated. By the time she was eleven years old, Eunsun's father and grandparents had died of starvation, and Eunsun was in danger of the same. Finally, her mother decided to escape North Korea with Eunsun and her sister, not knowing that they were embarking on a journey that would take them nine long years to complete. Before finally reaching South Korea and freedom, Eunsun and her family would live homeless, fall into the hands of Chinese human traffickers, survive a North Korean labor camp, and cross the deserts of Mongolia on foot. Now, Eunsun is sharing her remarkable story to give voice to the tens of millions of North Koreans still suffering in silence. Told with grace and courage, her memoir is a riveting exposé of North Korea's totalitarian regime and, ultimately, a testament to the strength and resilience of the human spirit.
Running a Thousand Miles for Freedom is an anthology that captures the harrowing experiences of escape from bondage, embodying a significant period in America's history. The collection brings together varied literary styles, from personal narratives to analytical essays, to portray the complexity of the escape from slavery. Its significance lies not only in the recounting of personal experiences of unfathomable courage but also in its exploration of the broader socio-political landscapes of the time. The works within act as a testament to the resilience of the human spirit in the face of unimaginable adversity, highlighted by the harrowing yet inspiring journey of the editors themselves, Ellen and William Craft. Ellen and William Craft, both of whom lived the terrors and triumphs narrated within these pages, bring a raw authenticity to the collection. Their stories, rooted in the darkest times of American history, reflect themes of freedom, resistance, and the indefatigable quest for liberation. The anthology resonates with the cultural and literary movements of abolitionism, contributing a crucial perspective to the understanding of this turbulent era in American history. The Crafts' backgrounds as escapees add an unparalleled depth to the narration, enriching the anthology with personal insights and a palpable sense of urgency. This collection is recommended not only for its historical and educational value but also for the unique narrative it presents through the combination of personal experience and scholarly analysis. It offers readers an intimate look at the trials and triumphs of those who fled slavery, highlighting the diversity of experiences and the singular determination that defined their journeys. For anyone interested in the complexities of American history, the dynamics of personal and collective freedom, and the power of storytelling, Running a Thousand Miles for Freedom is an indispensable read, promising to enlighten, inspire, and provoke deep reflection on the past and its implications for the present and future.
Ellen and William Craft were two of the few slaves to ever escape from the Deep South. Their first escape took them to Philadelphia, then on to Boston pursued by slave hunters, and finally 5000 miles across the ocean to England, where they were able to settle peacefully.
Reproduction of the original. The publishing house Megali specialises in reproducing historical works in large print to make reading easier for people with impaired vision.
Passing refers to the process whereby a person of one race, gender, nationality, or sexual orientation adopts the guise of another. Historically, this has often involved black slaves passing as white in order to gain their freedom. More generally, it has served as a way for women and people of color to access male or white privilege. In their examination of this practice of crossing boundaries, the contributors to this volume offer a unique perspective for studying the construction and meaning of personal and cultural identities. These essays consider a wide range of texts and moments from colonial times to the present that raise significant questions about the political motivations inherent in the origins and maintenance of identity categories and boundaries. Through discussions of such literary works as Running a Thousand Miles for Freedom, The Autobiography of an Ex–Coloured Man, Uncle Tom’s Cabin, The Hidden Hand, Black Like Me, and Giovanni’s Room, the authors examine issues of power and privilege and ways in which passing might challenge the often rigid structures of identity politics. Their interrogation of the semiotics of behavior, dress, language, and the body itself contributes significantly to an understanding of national, racial, gender, and sexual identity in American literature and culture. Contextualizing and building on the theoretical work of such scholars as Judith Butler, Diana Fuss, Marjorie Garber, and Henry Louis Gates Jr., Passing and the Fictions of Identity will be of value to students and scholars working in the areas of race, gender, and identity theory, as well as U.S. history and literature. Contributors. Martha Cutter, Katharine Nicholson Ings, Samira Kawash, Adrian Piper, Valerie Rohy, Marion Rust, Julia Stern, Gayle Wald, Ellen M. Weinauer, Elizabeth Young
