Making Freedom: The Extraordinary Life of Venture Smith

Making Freedom: The Extraordinary Life of Venture Smith
ISBN-10
0819568546
ISBN-13
9780819568540
Category
History
Pages
201
Language
English
Published
2009-02-26
Publisher
Wesleyan University Press
Authors
George A. Krimsky, Chandler B. Saint

Description

The inspiring story of an 18th-century New England slave who emancipated himself Making Freedom is the first in-depth exploration of the life of Venture Smith (1728–1805), a New England slave who was sold into bondage as a boy in Africa and labored for nearly a quarter-century before purchasing his own freedom and transforming himself into a highly respected American citizen. Drawing on years of research and documentation, including Venture Smith's rare personal autobiography, Saint and Krimsky vividly recount the extraordinary challenges he overcame. They cast a rare light on what it was like to be an African American in the north during the Colonial era. This story's relevance today prompted the BBC to produce a documentary on scholars' efforts to learn more about Venture Smith, his life, and family. The book includes a wealth of illustrations, a timeline, and Smith's original 1798 narrative in facsimile form.

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