Henry Brown was born into slavery in Virginia in 1815. At
fifteen, Henry was hired out to a tobacco factory in Richmond. Henry married a
fellow slave named Nancy. Together, they had three children. Somehow, Henry had
funds of his own (I’ve always assumed slaves couldn’t earn money. I stand
corrected). He used it to rent a home for himself and his family, and to bribe
his wife’s master to not sell his wife and kids (but, of course, he did). In
1849, Henry decided to mail himself to abolitionists in Philadelphia. With the
help of friends, Henry was sealed up in a crate labeled, “Dry Goods,” “Handle
with Care,” and “This Side Up.” He had a hole for ventilation, a little water,
and a few biscuits. The trip via wagon, train and steamboat took 27 hours. It
cost him $86 – more than $3,000 in today’s money – but he stepped out of the
crate a free man.
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