Henry Box Brown – författare

In 1849, Henry Brown escaped from slavery by shipping himself in a three-foot-by-two-foot wooden crate from Virginia to an anti-slavery office in Philadelphia. Twenty-seven hours and 350 miles later, Brown stepped out of his box to begin a new life. This is his memoir, originally published in 1851 in England, as fresh and compelling today as it was 150 years ago. This extraordinary narrative paints an indelible portrait of life in slavery. With a keen sense of irony, Brown examines the "peculiar institution"--from the hypocrisy of slave-owning Christian preachers, to the system of bribery that forced slaves to purchase the rights to their own belongings, to the practice of separating slave families with no warning. The story also describes one of the most audacious, creative escapes ever completed. A classic slave narrative, it makes for unforgettable reading.

In 1849, Henry Brown escaped from slavery by shipping himself in a three-foot-by-two-foot wooden crate from Virginia to an anti-slavery office in Philadelphia. Twenty-seven hours and 350 miles later, Brown stepped out of his box to begin a new life. This is his memoir, originally published in 1851 in England, as fresh and compelling today as it was 150 years ago. This extraordinary narrative paints an indelible portrait of life in slavery. With a keen sense of irony, Brown examines the "peculiar institution"--from the hypocrisy of slave-owning Christian preachers, to the system of bribery that forced slaves to purchase the rights to their own belongings, to the practice of separating slave families with no warning. The story also describes one of the most audacious, creative escapes ever completed. A classic slave narrative, it makes for unforgettable reading.

Henry Box Brown (b. 1816) was born in Louisa County, Virginia, and was a slave for thirty-three years before escaping to Philadelphia in a three-by-two-foot box. His life as a slave was relatively free from physical abuse by his slaveholders. His first owner was John Barret, a former Richmond mayor. Upon Barret''s death, Brown was enslaved by William Barret, John''s son. Brown was fed, clothed, and given spending money, much to the amazement of slaves on neighboring plantations. However, despite this relatively liberal treatment, he suffered many trials and much heartache as a slave. In his narrative, Brown explains that the horrors of slavery were not limited to physical abuse alone. The pains he suffered were tortures of the heart and soul, as illustrated by the sale of his wife and children. This act of cruelty drove Brown to escape. Assisted by friends, and trusting in divine providence to deliver him safely, Brown arrived in Philadelphia jarred, but in one piece. After his escape, he traveled across New England delivering antislavery lectures, and he also showcased a moving panorama called "Henry Box Brown''s Mirror of Slavery" in 1850. He moved to England later that year in fear of the Fugitive Slave Act, which was passed soon after. He exhibited the panorama in Liverpool, Manchester, Lancashire, and Yorkshire through the spring of 1851 and continued to lecture. Brown returned to the United States from England in 1875 with his new wife and daughter Annie, and he performed as a magician. The date and location of his death are unknown.