OneofTheNewYorkTimes’s10BestBooksof2023NewYorkTimesBestsellerNamedabestbookof2023byTheNewYorker,Time,NPR,SmithsonianMagazine,andOprahDailyTheremarkabletruestoryofEllenandWilliamCraft,whoescapedslaverythroughdaring,determination,anddisguise,withEllenpassingasawealthy,disabledWhitemanandWilliamposingas“his“slave.In1848,ayearofinternationaldemocraticrevolt,ayoung,enslavedcouple,EllenandWilliamCraft,achievedoneoftheboldestfeatsofself-emancipationinAmericanhistory.Posingasmasterandslave,whilesustainedbytheirloveashusbandandwife,theymadetheirescapetogetheracrossmorethan1,000miles,ridingoutintheopenonsteamboats,carriages,andtrainsthattookthemfrombondageinGeorgiatothefreestatesoftheNorth.Alongtheway,theydodgedslavetraders,militaryofficers,andevenfriendsoftheirenslavers,whomighthaverevealedtheirtrueidentities.Thetaleoftheiradventuresoonmadethemcelebrities,andgeneratedheadlinesaroundthecountry.Americanscouldnotgetenoughofthischarismaticyoungcouple,whotraveledanother1,000milescriss-crossingNewEngland,drawingthunderousapplauseastheyspokealongsidesomeofthegreatestabolitionistluminariesoftheday--amongthemFrederickDouglassandWilliamWellsBrown.Buteventhen,theywerenotoutofdanger.WiththepassageofaninfamousnewFugitiveSlaveActin1850,allAmericansbecameaccountableforreturningrefugeesliketheCraftstoslavery.Thenyetanotheradventurebegan,asslavehunterscameupfromGeorgia,forcingtheCraftstofleeonceagain--thistimefromtheUnitedStates,theirlivesandthousandsmoreonthelineandthestakesneverhigher.Withthreeepicjourneyscompressedintoonemonumentalbidforfreedom,MasterSlaveHusbandWifeisanAmericanlovestory--onethatwouldchallengethenation’scorepreceptsoflife,liberty,andjusticeforall--onethatchallengesusevennow.
