It is the most celebrated escape in the history of American slavery. Henry Brown had himself sealed in a three-foot-by-two-foot box and shipped from Richmond; Virginia; to Philadelphia; a twenty-seven-hour journey to freedom. In Narrative of the Life of Henry Box Brown; Written by Himself; Brown not only tells the story of his famed escape; but also recounts his later life as a black man making his way through white American and British culture. Most important; he paints a revealing portrait of the reality of slavery; of the wife and children sold away from him; the home to which he could not return; and his rejection of the slaveholders' religion--painful episodes that fueled his desire for freedom.This edition comprises the most complete and faithful representation of Brown's life; fully annotated for the first time. John Ernest also provides an insightful introduction that places Brown's life in its historical setting and illuminates the challenges Brown faced in an often threatening world; both before and after his legendary escape.
#1114251 in Books The University of North Carolina Press 2004-08-30 2004-08-30Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 9.00 x 1.12 x 6.00l; 1.23 #File Name: 0807855812440 pages
Review
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Before the Wild West there was the Wild SouthBy Jon L AlbeeAmericans have always had a longing for the frontier. There's something intellectually satisfying about adventuring into a region which remains relatively pristine; free of the civil society that modern institutions create. "Great men;" or those men who liked to fancy themselves great; were attracted to the places in the Americas that remained legally and politically vacuous. Dreams of financial gain; political power; or adventure attracted a rough-hewn sort of leader. Those leaders are the subject of this book.As was the case with their post-Civil War western brethren; most of these leaders' actions were illegal and; at times; atrocious. They enjoyed blurring the line between what was considered lawful and what was considered criminal; because it allowed them to exploit the legal void created by this instability. Many a filibuster became the head of his own puppet state; and many were celebrated as heroes for their exploits even if they were little more than gangsters.So here you have your Jesse James and Wyatt Earp of an earlier generation; but more than just the names changed. The Antebellum and post-war Americas; particularly within the United States (of course) were vastly different places. Before the Civil War; the post-Spanish republics were very weak because their social and political institutions had lost the unifying elements of Church and Monarchy. The United States; however; was enormously powerful; benefitting from vast foreign immigration and industrial development. Ambitious Americans had a "big attitude" about what they believed they could do; anywhere the winds would carry them. This book is; more than anything; about Manifest Destiny run amok.The Civil War drew Americans back into their own internal affairs; and foreign expansion was permanently subordinated to sovereign preservation. Now; the impresarios weren't fighting for Cuba; but for Arizona. The author claims that a seething Anti-Americanism that exists in the Americas to this day can be attributed to the actions of filibusters. Whether you believe this or not; it's a compelling argument.Basically; this book is a biography of some of the greatest filibusters; broken down into chapters dedicated to each of the chosen characters. The Preface; Chapter 1; Chapter 2 and Epilogue place the characters in greater historical and cultural context. This book is exhaustively researched and includes 100 pages of annotated end notes.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Excellent review of an underexposed area of US HistoryBy rewindeditorThis book was the basis of my undergraduate history thesis. May certainly shows how energetic people were in the 1850s to expand the United States' borders with or without Uncle Sam's help! Very compellingly paints a picture of a less than effective government and a devoted population of the United States who were interested in expansion.4 of 8 people found the following review helpful. Not well-written but well-researchedBy GlacierjayIf you're looking for relaxing weekend reading and a well-spun tale then avoid this book. I imagine that it is excellent source for academic historians of the period. There are scattered references to a few critical incidents all through the book so it is not easy to follow.I was also disappointed that the book is written only from a US-centric perspective with no coverage of the victims of filibustering: did nothing of note happen in Costa Rica; Nicaragua; Honduras; Panama; etc during the period? How were the coalitions built that finally disgorged Walker and other filibusters from their Central American footholds? The epilogue finally addresses some of the damage that these pirates did to US reputation in the rest of the Americas; but a lot more could be said.
