Initially published in 1851, browns extraordinary memoir recounts the harsh circumstances of his bondage as well as the details of his 350mile journey by railroad, steamboat, and horse cart inside a container. Henrys freedom box a caldecott honor is the true story of a slave who mailed himself. In 1850, a moving panorama, henry box browns mirror of slavery, opened in boston. Narrative of henry box brown, who escaped from slavery, enclosed in a box 3 feet long and 2 wide. Read more about henry box brown here, and purchase john ernests excellent edition of the narrative second edition here. The book henry browns box, the slave who mailed himself to freedom, is the basis for this lesson. Most important, he paints a revealing portrait of the reality of slavery, of the wife and children sold away from him, the. Eager to get his freedom, brown shipped himself in a box to the philadelphia antislavery society. Henrys freedom box by ellen levine black history book a stirring, dramatic story of a slave who mails himself to freedom by a jane addams peace awardwinning author and a. It concludes with an essay by charles stearns entitled cure for the evil of slavery. Encourage students to read the book and compare how information is presented in the two books. Henrys freedom box is based on the true story of henry browns creative and courageous journey to freedom. The narrative of the life of henry box brown goodreads. Both books tell the story of henry brown, an enslaved man from louisa county who escaped to freedom in march 1849 by having himself.
In 1849, henry brown escaped from slavery by shipping himself in a crate from virginia to an antislavery office in philadelphia. Henrys freedom box by ellen levine childrens books read. Henry brown was born into slavery in louisa county, virginia, in 1815. This first english edition of his narrative was published in 1851.
That box as a middle name was adopted by brown in commemoration of the method by which he gained his freedom. Explain why the order of events in a story is important. The story of henry box browns daring escape from slavery via a large wooden box. Summary of narrative of the life of henry box brown. Henry box brown from digital history henry box brown, b. A somewhat comic yet sympathetic portrayal of the culminating episode in the flight of slave henry brown who escaped from richmond va.
Grade 25inspired by an actual 1830s lithograph, this beautifully crafted picture book briefly relates the story of henry box browns daring escape from. Reading and writing connection write a play script. After three decades of enslavement, brown cleverly mailed himself in a wooden box to abolitionists in the north in order to become a free man. Click here to buy this unit in my black history bundlethis unit contains the following. Henry finally has a birthday his first day of freedom. This can be an extended literature connection the book is useful but not required to use this lesson plan. Henry box brown 1815 or 161897 henry box brown, one of the most famous fugitives from slavery, was also an antislavery speaker, author, and performer. Feb 05, 2018 henrys freedom box by ellen levine black history book a stirring, dramatic story of a slave who mails himself to freedom by a jane addams peace awardwinning author and a coretta scott king. The book, by the same author as henrys freedom box, is a nonfiction text written in an engaging questionandanswer format. Henrys freedom box black history month activities tpt. Henry box brown 18151897, american slave who had himself mailed in a box to freedom.
Henry box brown documenting the american south homepage. Jun 12, 2018 henry box brown was a man that had everything torn from him. Henry box brown was an escaped slave who took an inventive route to gain his freedom. Then, in 1848, his wife, who was owned by another master and who was pregnant with their. Brown and stearns spent the next two months traveling throughout new england. He developed his published slave narrative into an antislavery stage show. It is the true story of henry box brown who mailed himself to freedom. Now the artist teams with childrens author ellen levine to recreate another tale from tubmans time. It uses music to link all of the pieces of henrys story together. Use this as a book study with close reading, crafts, and fun. Describe the sequence of some of the important events in the life of henry box brown. Against all odds, henry brown triumphed not once, but twice. This mini unit is all about one of my favorite characters henry box brown. Ellen levine wrote a childrens picture book entitled henrys freedom box 2007 based upon browns life.
Henry box brown was born enslaved in louisa county, virginia in 1815. Sep 30, 2018 henry box brown was an enslaved man who shipped himself to freedom in a wooden box. Henry box brown students britannica kids homework help. I first read about henry box brown in william stills 1872 book, the underground railroad. Narrative of the life of henry box brown dover thrift. In my opinion unless the americans purge themselves of this stain, they will have to undergo very severe, if not protracted suffering. It was special in that it kept the papers inside it separated, a precursor to the personal safe. Henry box brown and his escape became a cause celebre in the north, but southerners saw his escape as more yankee meddling with their property, and pushed even harder for passage of the fugitive slave act, which would force the federal government to help return escaped slaves. His true story is retold with poetic grace by ellen levine, a jane addams peace awardwinning author, and illustrated by kadir nelson, a coretta scott king awardwinning artist. Apr 16, 2020 shadow play of the story of henry box brown, 2020. Narrative of the life of henry box brown by henry box. A stirring, dramatic story of a slave who mails himself to freedom by a jane addams peace awardwinning author and a coretta scott king awardwinning artist. But in a fateful vision, he saw that the road to his salvation was through a small box.
In a moving, lyrical tale about the cost and fragility of freedom, a new york times be. Narrative of the life of henry box brown, written by himself. He had himself crated up and shipped from slavery to liberty. Henry box brown 1815 or 18161897 encyclopedia virginia.
A powerful assortment of colors, textures, and artistic styles illustrate this true story of how henry box brown escaped enslavement in 1849 via. Depicted as a solemn boy with an arresting gaze on the cover, henry displays riveting presence in every successive scene, as he. The narratives of henry box brown are two similarly titled works of nonfiction. The inspiring story of how henry box brown mailed himself. Henry brown mails himself to freedom carole boston weatherford, michele wood on. This book was written by ellen levine and was beautifully illustrated by kadir nelson. According to ernest, this panorama consisted of a series of paintings on a sheet of canvas reported to be 50,000 feet long that would be gradually unwound to reveal successive scenes related to browns. Challenge students to turn the story of henrys freedom box into a. Henry box brown was born, enslaved, on a virginia plantation in 1815. When the box finally arrived in the philadelphia antislavery office, four people locked the door behind them, knocked on the box, and opened it up.
Upon attaining his freedom, he became a popular lecturer on the antislavery circuit, and he published this memoir in 1851. It has activities to engage your students, and a 3 day lesson plan layout for your students to get to know henry box brown. His first master was john barret, who eventually passed away and left his property to be split between four sons. The book henry brown s box, the slave who mailed himself to freedom, is the basis for this lesson in henry s later life, he was an international speaker, describing his courageous journey to become free. Henry was 63 then, but that is the last that we know of him alive. After his family was sold, brown committed himself to escaping from bondage. Brown was born into slavery in 1815 in louisa county, virginia.
Soon brown met charles stearns, who published the narrative of henry box brown in september 1849. In henrys later life, he was an international speaker, describing his courageous journey to become free. The resurrection of henry box brown at philadelphia, who. Narratives of henry box brown, the encyclopedia virginia. Close your eyes if you will and imagine what it would be like to curl up in a box and ship yourself as cargo. As a free man, brown lectured across new england on the evils of slavery and participated in the publication of the narrative of henry box brown 1849. This is a mini unit and book study for henry s freedom box by. What happened thereafter to him or his second family is unknown, nor is anything known of what happened to his first wife and children. His first owner was john barret, a former richmond mayor. If you want the full story, get a copy of brown s biography, the unboxing of henry brown, by jeffrey ruggles.
Return to death or liberty song about henry box brown s escape from slavery, 1849. 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. One of the most famous slaves on the underground railroad didnt travel by foot. The inspiring story of how henry box brown mailed himself to. Brown, his parents names unknown, three brothers, and four sisters were slaves of john barret, a former mayor of richmond. Henry box browns narrative, as told to charles stearns, was published in 1849 to raise funds so brown could purchase freedom for his wife and children. Henry s bravery and ingenuity were inspiring to read about. This is a mini unit and book study for henrys freedom box by. Grade 25inspired by an actual 1830s lithograph, this beautifully crafted picture book briefly relates the story of henry box browns daring escape from slavery. This format is similar to other slave narratives of the period.
Henry armitt brown 18441878, american author and orator. Its the true story of henry box brown, a man who mailed himself to freedom, to a state. Henrys freedom box by ellen levine childrens books. Summary of henry box browns narrative boxbrownblog. Henry box brown was an abolitionist lecturer and performer. The narrative of henry box brown 1849 the public domain. Funding from the national endowment for the humanities supported. The resurrection of henry box brown at philadephia from the. Summary of narrative of henry box brown, who escaped from. Henry box brown was an enslaved man living in virginia in the early 1800s.
This is his memoir, originally published in 1851 in england. Henry s freedom box is a wonderful storybook for teaching younger children about slavery and the underground railroad. Return to death or liberty song about henry box browns escape from slavery, 1849. Narrative of henry box brown, published in boston in 1849, and narrative of the life of henry box brown, written by himself, published in manchester, england, in 1851. Narrative of the life of henry box brown by henry box brown. Henry box brown author of the narrative of the life of.
Henry box brown was born in louisa county, virginia in 1815. In the 1849 narrative, brown s story is bookended by stearnss introduction and closing essay the latter titled cure for the evil of slavery. Born into slavery in louisa county in 1815 or 1816, henry brown is best known to history for his ingenious escape from slavery, which he accomplished, with the aid of abolitionists and other sympathizers, by being shipped from richmond to philadelphia, pennsylvania, in march 1849, while crated in a box. About the author henry box brown escaped slavery in 1849 by shipping himself in a crate from richmond to philadelphia. Henry box brown was an enslaved man who shipped himself to freedom in a wooden box. Recall the events in at least one chapter from browns own narrative. For any lengthy observations, by which the reader will be detained from the subject of the. Henry box brown national underground railroad freedom center. Henry brown from wikipedia includes a great photo of artwork from 1850. Torn from his mother as a child, and then forcibly separated from his wife and children as an adult, a heartsick and desperate brown conspired with abolitionists and successfully traveled north to philadelphia in a packing crate. Certainly the deliverance of moses, from destruction on the nile, was scarcely more marvellous than was the deliverance of mr. Henry box brown and the underground railroad barbara. Henry stood up and reached out to shake their hands. Describe browns daring escape from slavery in a box.
Newmans edition has notes that are not only useful and interesting, but as moving as browns story itself. Henry brown mails himself to freedom by carole boston. The narratives of henry box brown encyclopedia virginia. When that act passed in 1850, brown had to flee to england. I first read about henry box brown in william stills 1872 book, the. The narrative of the life of henry box brown by henry box.
There was a hole cut in the box for air, and it was nailed and tied with straps. When he was 15, he was sent to richmond to work in a tobacco factory. The book includes a frontispiece portrait of brown, probably engraved from a daguerreotype, and an engraving of the box, as well as an excerpt of a speech about brown. Dec 28, 2019 henry box brown emerges from a wooden crate after mailing himself to freedom as several people, including abolitionist frederick douglass holding a claw hammer at left look on. For one brave salve, henry brown, this became his way to escape to freedom. Henry box brown became one of the most famous runaway slaves on the underground railroad. His life as a slave was relatively better than the lives of other enslaved blacks. Henry box brown s escape from slavery this is an extraordinary story.
An 800page volume, it contained the stories of all the runaway slaves who came through stills antislavery society office in philadelphia, says ellen. Aug 22, 2019 henry box brown was an enslaved man who shipped himself to freedom in a wooden box. When he was 15 years old he was sold to a plantation owner in richmond. Henry box brown was a virginia slave who escaped to freedom at the age of 33 by arranging to have himself mailed in a wooden crate in 1849 to. May 30, 2019 henry brown patented a receptacle for storing and preserving papers on november 2, 1886 this was a kind of strongbox, a firesafe and accidentsafe container made of forged metal, which could be sealed with a lock and key. Describe methods used by brown to craft his freedom. Henry box brown again showed his creativity late in 1849 when he hired artists and others to.
Henry box brown 1815 or 18161897 contributed by suzette spencer, jeffrey ruggles, and the dictionary of virginia biography. In brown s book, narrative of the life of henry box brown, quotes slavery, in all its phases, is demoralizing to everyone concerned, none who may read the following narrative, can for a moment doubt. With the aid of his allies, brown would defy the odds and embark on a harrowing journey toward freedom. Brown also toured with a panorama called henry box brown. Henrys freedom box a book study and mini unit about henry. In september 1849, the narrative of henry box brown was published in boston by charles stearns. This story covers browns childhood through his marriage and the birth of his children. His life as a slave was relatively free from physical abuse by his slaveholders.
After enduring more than 30 years of slavery, henry box brown achieved freedom by having himself nailed inside a packing crate and shipped from richmond to philadelphia. Henry brown traveled in the box lined with baize, a coarse woollen cloth, carrying with him only one bladder of water and a few biscuits. The narrative of henry box brown takes the reader back before the box came into picture, giving us a glimpse of an extraordinary human being. He was born into slavery as henry brown in 1815 or 1816 on the louisa county plantation of john barret, a former mayor of richmond. Sold away from his family as a child, henry brown did what many slaves had to do. Henry box brown was born in 1815 in louisa county, virginia. Henry box brown was a man that had everything torn from him.
Nelsons powerful portraits add a majestic element to levines historybased tale of henry box brown, a slave who escaped by having himself mailed to freedom in a crate. Henry box brown emerges from a wooden crate after mailing himself to freedom as several people, including abolitionist frederick douglass holding a claw hammer at left look on. Henry s freedom box a true story from the underground railroad author ellen levine and illustrator kadir nelson bring henry box brown s amazing story to life in henry s freedom box. For nearly twenty years author jeffrey ruggles former curator at the university of virginia meticulously researched the incredible life and times of fellow virginian henry brown in this rare 232 page first edition book. Copy of a letter respecting henry box brown s escape from slaverya verification of patrick henry s speech in virginia legislature, march, 1775, when he said, give me liberty or give me death. Born a slave in louisa county, he worked in a richmond tobacco factory and lived in a rented house. Another resurrection of henry box brown published with an account of the story in william still s 1872 book the underground railroad the box was received by williamson, mckim, william still, and other members of the philadelphia vigilance committee on march 30, 1849, attesting to the improvements in express delivery services.