Josiah Henson

American abolitionist and minister

For the American wrestler, see Josiah Henson (wrestler).

Josiah Henson

Josiah Henson in 1877

Born| (1789-06-15)June 15, 1789

Charles County, Maryland, United States

Died| May 5, 1883(1883-05-05) (aged 93)

Dresden, Ontario, Canada

Nationality| American, Canadian
Other names| Uncle Tom
Occupations|

* Author
* abolitionist
* minister
* colonizer
* soldier
* army officer

Spouse| Nancy Henson
Relatives| Matthew Henson
Signature

Josiah Henson (June 15, 1789 – May 5, 1883) was an author, abolitionist, and minister. Born into slavery, in Port Tobacco, Charles County, Maryland, he escaped to Upper Canada (now Ontario) in 1830, and founded a settlement and laborer's school for other fugitive slaves at Dawn, near Dresden, in Kent County, Upper Canada, of Ontario. Henson's autobiography, The Life of Josiah Henson, Formerly a Slave, Now an Inhabitant of Canada, as Narrated by Himself (1849), is believed to have inspired the title character of Harriet Beecher Stowe's 1852 novel Uncle Tom's Cabin (1852).[1] Following the success of Stowe's novel, Henson issued an expanded version of his memoir in 1858, Truth Stranger Than Fiction. Father Henson's Story of His Own Life (published Boston: John P. Jewett & Company, 1858). Interest in his life continued, and nearly two decades later, his life story was updated and published as Uncle Tom's Story of His Life: An Autobiography of the Rev. Josiah Henson (1876).

## Early life

[edit]

Provincial plaque, placed by the Government of Ontario, memorializing Henson's "Dawn Settlement", near Dresden, Ontario

Josiah Henson was born on a farm near Port Tobacco, Charles County, Maryland, on a plantation owned by Francis Newman, where Henson experienced slave atrocities.[2] Henson's father was enslaved by Francis Newman whereas Josiah Henson, his mother, and his siblings were enslaved by Dr. Josiah McPherson.[3] When he was a boy, his father was punished for standing up to a slave overseer, for which he received one hundred lashes. In addition, his right ear was nailed to the whipping post and then cut off.[4] His father was sold away to Alabama. Josiah Henson experienced hardships and sufferings at the hands of his masters as well, including having his arms broken and an injury to his back.[5] Following his family's master's death, young Josiah was separated from his mother, brothers, and sisters. At the slave auction, Henson's siblings were sold first. His mother was bought by Issac Riley of Montgomery County and when she pleaded to her new owner to purchase Josiah Henson, Riley responded by hitting and kicking her.[6] Josiah Henson was sold to Adam Robb of Rockville, Montgomery County. Adam Robb encountered Issac Riley and struck a deal which resulted in Henson being sold to Riley and reunited with his mother.[7] Josiah Henson became very ill.[8] His mother pleaded with her owner, Isaac Riley, and Riley agreed to buy back Henson so she could at least have her youngest child with her, on the condition that he would work in the fields.

Riley would not regret his decision, for Henson rose in his owners' esteem, and was eventually entrusted as the supervisor of his master's farm, located in Montgomery County, Maryland (in what is now North Bethesda). In 1825 Riley fell into economic ruin and was sued by a brother-in-law. Desperate, he begged Henson, with tears in his eyes, to promise to help him. Henson agreed. Riley told him that he needed to take his eighteen slaves to his brother in Kentucky by foot. They arrived in Owensboro, Daviess County, Kentucky, in the middle of April 1825 at the plantation of Amos Riley.

A roadside plaque near Owensboro, Kentucky, identifying the site of the Amos Riley home.

In September 1828, Henson returned to Maryland and attempted to buy his freedom from Riley.[6] with $350 he had saved, along with a note promising a further $100. Riley, however, added an extra zero to the paper, changing the promissory fee to $1000. Soon after, Henson learned that Riley planned to sell him in New Orleans, Louisiana, separating him from his wife and four children.[6] Henson became determined to escape to Canada and freedom.[9] He took his wife and their children.[10]

## Escape from slavery

[edit]

After convincing his wife to escape with him, Henson's wife created a knapsack large enough to carry both of their smallest children; the eldest two would accompany his wife.[3] The Henson family left Kentucky, travelling through the night, and sleeping in the woods throughout the day. They crossed into Indiana, then into Cincinnati, where they were safely welcomed in a home for a few days.[4] As the Henson family was crossing Hull's Road in Ohio, Josiah's wife fainted from exhaustion. As they continued on, they encountered Indians, and were reinvigorated with food and rest. After crossing a lake in Ohio, Josiah encountered Captain Burnham, a ship captain, who agreed to transport the Henson family to Buffalo, New York; from there they would cross the river into Canada.[3] Upon setting foot into Canada, Josiah Henson described the ecstatic feelings of liberation by throwing himself onto the ground and rejoicing with his family. On October 28, 1830, Josiah Henson became a liberated man.[6]

### Slavery policy in Canada

[edit]

Upper Canada had become a refuge for slaves who had escaped from the United States after 1793, when Lieutenant-Governor John Graves Simcoe passed "An Act to prevent the further introduction of Slaves, and limit the Term of Contracts for Servitude within this Province" [1]. The legislation did not immediately end slavery in the colony, but it did prevent the importation of slaves[citation needed]. As a result, any U.S. slave who set foot in what would eventually become Ontario, was free[citation needed].

## Later life

[edit]

Josiah Henson first worked on farms near Fort Erie, then Waterloo Ontario, moving with friends to Colchester in 1834 to set up a Black settlement on rented land. After earning enough, Henson was able to send his eldest son Tom to school, who in turn taught Josiah how to read. Henson became literate and was able to lead the growing community of fugitive slaves in Canada.[11] Through contacts and financial assistance there, he was able to purchase 200 acres (0.81 km2) in Dawn Township, in neighbouring Kent County, to realize his vision of a self-sufficient community. The Dawn Settlement eventually reached a population of 500[citation needed] at its height, exporting black walnut lumber to the United States and Britain. Henson purchased an additional 200 acres (0.81 km2) next to the Settlement, where his family lived.[12] Henson also became an active Methodist preacher and spoke as an abolitionist on routes between Tennessee and Ontario. He also served in the Canadian Militia as a military officer, having led a Black militia unit in the Canadian Rebellion of 1837. In 1838, Henson and the militia successfully captured the rebel ship Anne, cutting off their supply lines to southwestern Upper Canada. Though many residents of the Dawn Settlement returned to the United States after slavery was abolished there, Henson and his wife continued to live in Dawn for the rest of their lives. Henson became the spiritual leader within the community and embarked on several trips to the United States and Great Britain where he met with Queen Victoria.[13] While in Britain, Josiah publicly spoke to audiences and raised funds for the community back in Canada.[5] Henson conducted several trips back to Kentucky[when?] to guide other slaves to freedom.[6]

In 1878, Rev. Henson was described as "a jovial old man", who "considering his age is pretty active".[14]

Henson was a Prince Hall Freemason, belonging to Mount Moriah Lodge No. 11 under the Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Ontario and Jurisdiction.[15][16]

## Works

[edit]

* The Life of Josiah Henson, Formerly a Slave, Now an Inhabitant of Canada, as Narrated by Himself. 1849
* Truth Stranger Than Fiction. Father Henson's Story of His Own Life. 1858
* Uncle Tom's Story of His Life: An Autobiography of the Rev. Josiah Henson. 1876[17]
* An Autobiography of the Rev. Josiah Henson ('Uncle Tom') from 1789 to 1881. With a Preface by Mrs. Harriet Beecher Stowe, and Introductory Notes by George Sturge, S. Morley, Esq. M.P., Wendell Philipps, and John G. Whittier. Edited by John Lobb, F.R.G.S. Revised and Enlarged.[18]

## Miscellaneous

[edit]

Josiah Henson is the first black man to be featured on a Canadian stamp. He was also recognized by the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada in 1999 as a National Historic Person. A federal plaque to him is located in the Henson family cemetery, next to Uncle Tom's Cabin Historic Site.

He was brought up in the 1975 Jeffersons episode "Lionel Cries Uncle", where Louise Jefferson's uncle Ward informs George Jefferson, who keeps demeaning Ward as being an "Uncle Tom," about Henson and how he was the actual inspiration for Uncle Tom.

A 2018 documentary titled Redeeming Uncle Tom: The Josiah Henson Story covers his life.[19]

In 1978 plans were announced in Owensboro to recognize Henson with a memorial site in the city, but the recession of the 1980s put that plan on indefinite hold. In 1991, a playwright was hired to create a drama based on Henson's Daviess County years; in the summer of 1993, Josiah was staged at the RiverPark Center in Owensboro and its six-night run drew more than 4,000 people.[20]

On May 6, 2025, Superintendent of Equitable Education Martine Robinson announced that the Durham District School Board was very excited to reveal the name of the newest elementary school opening its doors in September 2025 in the Pickering Seaton community: Josiah Henson P.S. After careful consideration and extensive consultation with the broader school community, the School Naming Committee selected the name Josiah Henson P.S., and it was officially approved by the Board of Trustees of the Durham District School Board (DDSB) at the Special Board Meeting held on May 5, 2025. Through meaningful dialogue and collaboration, the committee carefully reviewed community and student submissions and reflected on the vision for the new school community to arrive at a recommendation. The School Naming Committee made its selection from a shortlist of three community-informed options and strongly felt that naming the school in Josiah Henson’s honour reflects the Durham District School Board’s deep commitment to equity, anti-oppression, and the ongoing work to confront anti-Black racism. It also affirms the importance of celebrating Black history and heritage as a vital part of our collective story. The DDSB believes the name Josiah Henson Public School will serve as a powerful reminder to students and staff of the strength found in perseverance, the value of inclusive education, and the importance of striving for a more just and compassionate society.

## Historic sites

[edit]

### Josiah Henson Museum & Park—North Bethesda, Maryland

[edit]

The 'Josiah Henson' cabin, in Rockville, Montgomery County, Maryland

The actual cabin in which Henson and other slaves were housed no longer exists; it was demolished along with other outbuildings in the 1950s when much of the former Riley plantation was developed into suburban tract housing.[21] The Riley family house, however, remains and is currently in a residential development in Rockville, Montgomery County, Maryland. After remaining in the hands of private owners for nearly two centuries, on January 6, 2006, the Montgomery Planning Board agreed to purchase the property and the acre of land on which it stands for $1,000,000 (~$1.45 million in 2023).[22][23] The house was opened to the public for one weekend in 2006.[24][25] In March 2009, the site received an additional $50,000 from the Maryland state Board of Public Works for the planning and design phase of a multiyear restoration project.[26] An additional $100,000 may come from the Federal government that would go towards restoration and planning.[26] The site was planned to be opened permanently to the public in 2012, until then offering guided tours four times a year.[26]

As of 2018, the Josiah Henson Museum & Park, in North Bethesda, Maryland, contains the Riley/Bolton house, where Henson's owner lived. The Montgomery County park site (construction/restoration) reopened to the public on April 23, 2021, after the completion of the renovations and installation of new exhibits and building of the visitor center. "Ongoing archaeological excavations seek to find where Josiah Henson may have lived on the site."[27]

Josiah Henson Interpretive Centre, near Dresden, Ontario, Canada.

### The Josiah Henson Museum of African-Canadian History

[edit]

Located near Dresden, Ontario, in Canada, the Josiah Henson Museum of African-Canadian History formally called Uncle Tom's Cabin Historic Site includes the cabin that was home to Josiah Henson during much of his time in the area, from 1841 until his death in 1883. The 2.0-hectare complex (5-acre) includes Henson's cabin, an interpretive centre about Henson and the Dawn settlement, an exhibit gallery about the Underground Railroad, outbuildings, a 19th-century historic house, a cemetery and a gift shop.

## See also

[edit]

* List of enslaved people

## References

[edit]

1. ^ See National Underground Railroad to History's "Resistance to Slavery in Maryland," p. 129f.; https://www.nps.gov/subjects/ugrr/discover_history/upload/ResistanceMDRpt.pdf
2. ^ ""'Uncle Tom' Uncovered" by Abdul-Alim, Jamaal - Diverse Issues in Higher Education, Vol. 33, Issue 18, October 6, 2016".[dead link]
3. ^ a b c Troiano, Edna (2019). Uncle Tom's Journey from Maryland to Canada: The Life of Josiah Henson. Charleston, SC: The History Press.
4. ^ a b "Father Henson's Story of His Own Life". Retrieved February 8, 2008.
5. ^ a b Tanser, H. A. (1943). "Josiah Henson, the Moses of His People". The Journal of Negro Education. 12 (4): 630–632\. doi:10.2307/2292827. ISSN 0022-2984. JSTOR 2292827.
6. ^ a b c d e Doyle, Mary Ellen (1974). "Josiah Henson's Narrative: Before and after". Negro American Literature Forum. 8 (1): 176–183\. doi:10.2307/3041433. ISSN 0028-2480. JSTOR 3041433.
7. ^ Henson, Josiah (September 1, 2011), "[Page 13] Mrs. H. Beecher Stowe's "Uncle Tom."", Uncle Tom's Story of His Life, University of North Carolina Press, pp. 21–158, doi:10.5149/northcarolina/9780807869611.003.0001, ISBN 978-0-8078-6961-1, retrieved December 5, 2020
8. ^ "Gale, Walter Frederick, (27 Nov. 1865–1 June 1945)", Who Was Who, Oxford University Press, December 1, 2007, doi:10.1093/ww/9780199540884.013.u225685, retrieved November 13, 2020
9. ^ "Henson, Josiah (1789–1883)", Encyclopedia of African American Society, Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications, Inc., 2005, doi:10.4135/9781412952507.n316, ISBN 978-0-7619-2764-8, retrieved December 5, 2020
10. ^ "Gale - Institution Finder". galeapps.gale.com. Retrieved November 13, 2020.
11. ^ "Henson, Josiah (1789–1883)", Encyclopedia of African American Society, Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications, Inc., 2005, doi:10.4135/9781412952507.n316, ISBN 978-0-7619-2764-8, retrieved December 5, 2020
12. ^ "The Dawn Settlement". Josiah Henson (1789 - 1883). Retrieved January 18, 2023.
13. ^ "Henson, Josiah (1789–1883)", Encyclopedia of African American Society, Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications, Inc., 2005, doi:10.4135/9781412952507.n316, ISBN 978-0-7619-2764-8, retrieved December 5, 2020
14. ^ "Old Uncle Tom". Weekly Arizona Miner (Prescott, Arizona). August 2, 1878. p. 1 – via Chronicling America.
15. ^ "Reverend Josiah Henson". freemasonry.bcy.ca. Retrieved March 14, 2023.
16. ^ "Famous Freemasons in History | Freemason Information". February 20, 2009. Retrieved March 14, 2023.
17. ^ cf. Uncle Tom's Cabin, 1852
18. ^ "Josiah Henson, 1789-1883, Harriet Beecher Stowe, 1811-1896, preface by, and John Lobb, 1840-1921, edited by An Autobiography of the Rev. Josiah Henson ("Uncle Tom"). From 1789 to 1881. With a Preface by Mrs. Harriet Beecher Stowe, and Introductory Notes by George Sturge, S. Morley, Esq., M. P., Wendell Phillips, and John G. Whittier. Edited by John Lobb, F.R.G.S. Revised and Enlarged". docsouth.unc.edu. Retrieved April 12, 2025.
19. ^ The Real Uncle Tom: Josiah Henson (Full Documentary) | Our Daily Bread Ministries, retrieved January 18, 2023
20. ^ Lawrence, Keith (March 23, 2023). "There's still time to honor Henson". Messenger-Inquirer.
21. ^ Shin, Annys (October 3, 2010). "After buying historic home, Md. officials find it wasn't really Uncle Tom's Cabin". The Washington Post.
22. ^ Lenhart, Jennifer (June 15, 2006). "'Uncle Tom's Cabin' Will Open to Visitors". The Washington Post. p. DZ06.
23. ^ "Planning Board Approves Purchase of Uncle Tom's Cabin Historic Site" (PDF) (Press release). Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission, Montgomery County Planning Board. January 5, 2006. Archived from the original (PDF) on May 30, 2008.
24. ^ Lenhart, Jennifer (June 8, 2006). "Public to Glimpse 'Uncle Tom's Cabin'". The Washington Post. p. GZ03.
25. ^ Lenhart, Jennifer (June 25, 2006). "Where We Were and Where We Have to Go". The Washington Post. p. C06.
26. ^ a b c Bradford Pearson, "Uncle Tom's Cabin could get government funds", The Olney Gazette, March 4, 2009
27. ^ Montgomery Parks, Montgomery County, Maryland (2018). "Josiah Henson Park". Retrieved October 7, 2018.`{{cite web}}`: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)

## External links

[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Josiah Henson.

English Wikisource has original works by or about:

Josiah Henson

* Works by Josiah Henson at Project Gutenberg
* Uncle Tom's Story of His Life. An Autobiography of the Rev. Josiah Henson (Mrs. Harriet Beecher Stowe's "Uncle Tom"). From 1789 to 1876. With a Preface by Mrs. Harriet Beecher Stowe, and an Introductory Note by George Sturge London: Christian Age Office, 1876.
* The Life of Josiah Henson, Formerly a Slave, Now an Inhabitant of Canada, as Narrated by Himself. Boston: A. D. Phelps, 1849.
* Truth Stranger Than Fiction. Father Henson's Story of His Own Life. Boston: John P. Jewett, 1858.
* Biography at the Dictionary of Canadian Biography Online
* Josiah Henson commemorative stamp
* Digital History: Josiah Henson
* Josiah Henson
* [2]
* National Historic Person plaque, and cemetery photo near Dresden, Ontario
* Henson, Josiah (1789–1883). The life of Josiah Henson, formerly a slave. London: Charles Gilpin; Edinburgh: Adam and Charles Black; Dublin: James Bernard Gilpin, 1852. This freely downloadable PDF was accessed February 15, 2014.
* The Life of Josiah Henson From the Collections at the Library of Congress
* Works by Josiah Henson at LibriVox (public domain audiobooks)

* v
* t
* e

Harriet Beecher Stowe's Uncle Tom's Cabin

Characters|

* Uncle Tom

Film adaptations|

* Uncle Tom's Cabin (1903)
* Uncle Tom's Cabin (Thanhouser, 1910)
* Uncle Tom's Cabin (Vitagraph, 1910)
* Uncle Tom's Cabin (1914)
* Uncle Tom's Cabin (1918)
* Topsy and Eva (1927)
* Uncle Tom's Cabin (1927)
* Onkel Toms Hütte (1965)
* Uncle Tom's Cabin (1987)

Related works|

* A Key to Uncle Tom's Cabin
* Tom show

Animation|

* Hittin' the Trail for Hallelujah Land (1931)
* Mickey's Mellerdrammer (1933)
* Uncle Tom's Bungalow (1937)
* Uncle Tom's Cabaña (1947)
* Southern Fried Rabbit (1953)

Anti-Tom literature|

* Aunt Phillis's Cabin
* The Planter's Northern Bride
* Little Eva: The Flower of the South
* Uncle Tom's Cabin As It Is
* Uncle Robin's Cabin
* "Uncle Tom's Cabin" Contrasted with Buckingham Hall, the Planter's Home
* Ellen; or, The Fanatic's Daughter
* The Ebony Idol
* Frank Freeman's Barber Shop
* The North and the South; or, Slavery and Its Contrasts
* Mr. Frank, the Underground Mail-Agent
* The Cabin and Parlor; or, Slaves and Masters
* The Black Gauntlet
* White Acre vs. Black Acre
* Antifanaticism
* The Lofty and the Lowly
* The Leopard's Spots

Related|

* Josiah Henson
* 1849 autobiography
* Uncle Tom's Cabin Historic Site
* Dimples
* Goodbye Uncle Tom
* Tit for Tat
* Uncle Tom syndrome
* Underground Railroad
* The National Era
* Onkel Toms Hütte (Berlin U-Bahn)
* Harriet Beecher Stowe House (Brunswick, Maine)
* Black Slave's Cry to Heaven

* v
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* e

Underground Railroad

People|

* William Brinkley
* John Brown
* Owen Brown
* Samuel Burris
* Levi Coffin
* Richard Dillingham
* Frederick Douglass
* Calvin Fairbank
* Isaac S. Flint
* Thomas Garrett
* Frances Harper
* Laura Smith Haviland
* David Hudson
* Daniel Hughes
* Peg Leg Joe
* William Cooper Nell
* Harriet Forten Purvis
* Robert Purvis
* John Rankin
* Hetty Reckless
* Gerrit Smith
* William Still
* Calvin Ellis Stowe
* Harriet Beecher Stowe
* Charles Turner Torrey
* Harriet Tubman
* Delia Webster

Places|

* List of Underground Railroad sites
* houses
* churches
* Underground Railroad in Indiana
* British Methodist Episcopal Church, Salem Chapel

Events|

* Emeline and Samuel Hawkins flight (1845)
* Pearl incident (1848)
* Kentucky raid in Cass County (1847)
* The South Bend Fugitive Slave Case (1849)
* Christiana Riot (1851)
* Jerry Rescue (1851)
* Uncle Tom's Cabin (1852 book)
* Joshua Glover rescue (1854)
* Dred: A Tale of the Great Dismal Swamp (1856 book)
* Dover Eight (1857)
* Oberlin–Wellington Rescue (1858)
* Tilly Escape (1856)
* Ann Maria Jackson and her seven children (1859)
* Thirteenth Amendment (1865)

Topics|

* Abolitionism in the United States
* Abolitionism
* opponents of slavery
* African-American opponents
* publications
* Fugitive slaves
* Fugitive slave laws
* 1850
* Quilts
* Reverse Underground Railroad
* Signals
* lawn jockey
* Slave catcher
* Songs of the Underground Railroad
* The Underground Railroad Records (1872 book)

Related|

* National Underground Railroad Freedom Center
* Harriet Tubman Memorial (Boston)
* Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad National Historical Park
* Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad State Park
* visitor center
* Niagara Falls Underground Railroad Heritage Center
* Underground Railroad Bicycle Route
* The Railroad to Freedom: A Story of the Civil War (1932 book)
* A Woman Called Moses (1978 miniseries)
* Roots of Resistance (1989 documentary)
* The Quest for Freedom (1992 film)
* Freedom: The Underground Railroad (2013 board game)
* The North Star (2016 film)
* Underground (2016 TV series)
* Harriet (2019 film)
* The Underground Railroad (2021 miniseries)

See also: Slavery in the United States and Slavery in Canada

* v
* t
* e

Slave narratives

* Slave Narrative Collection

Individuals
by continent
of enslavement|

| Africa|

* Robert Adams
* Marcus Berg
* Francis Bok
* Isaac Brassard
* Felice Caronni
* James Leander Cathcart
* Ólafur Egilsson
* Petro Kilekwa
* Elizabeth Marsh
* Mende Nazer
* Hark Olufs
* Thomas Pellow
* Joseph Pitts
* Antoine Qaurtier
* Guðríður Símonardóttir
* Maria ter Meetelen
* Andreas Matthäus Wolfgang
* Johann Georg Wolffgang

|

Asia|

* Brigitta Scherzenfeldt

Europe|

* Olaudah Equiano
* Nunzio Otello Francesco Gioacchino
* Ukawsaw Gronniosaw
* Macuncuzade Mustafa Efendi
* Jean Marteilhe
* Roustam Raza
* Lovisa von Burghausen

Ottoman Empire|

* George of Hungary
* Konstantin Mihailović
* Johann Schiltberger
* Václav Vratislav z Mitrovic [cs]

North America:
Canada|

* Marie-Joseph Angélique
* John R. Jewitt

North America:
Caribbean|

* Juan Francisco Manzano
* Esteban Montejo
* Mary Prince
* Pierre Toussaint
* Marcos Xiorro

North America:
United States|

* Sam Aleckson
* Jordan Anderson
* William J. Anderson
* Jared Maurice Arter
* Solomon Bayley
* Polly Berry
* Henry Bibb
* Leonard Black
* James Bradley
* Henry "Box" Brown
* John Brown
* William Wells Brown
* Peter Bruner
* Ellen and William Craft
* Hannah Crafts
* Lucinda Davis
* Noah Davis
* Lucy A. Delaney
* Ayuba Suleiman Diallo
* Frederick Douglass
* Kate Drumgoold
* Jordan Winston Early
* Sarah Jane Woodson Early
* Peter Fossett
* David George
* Moses Grandy
* Lear Green
* William Green
* William Grimes
* Josiah Henson
* Fountain Hughes
* John Andrew Jackson
* Harriet Jacobs
* Thomas James
* John Jea
* Paul Jennings
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* Pierre Toussaint
* Harriet Tubman
* Wallace Turnage
* Bethany Veney
* Booker T. Washington
* Wallace Willis
* Harriet E. Wilson
* Zamba Zembola

South America|

* Mahommah Gardo Baquaqua
* Miguel de Buría
* Osifekunde

Non-fiction books|

* The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano (1789)
* The Narrative of Robert Adams (1816)
* American Slavery as It Is (1839)
* Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave (1845)
* The Life of Josiah Henson (1849)
* Twelve Years a Slave (1853)
* My Bondage and My Freedom (1855)
* Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl (1861)
* The Underground Railroad Records (1872)
* Life and Times of Frederick Douglass (1881)
* Up from Slavery (1901)
* Slave Narratives: A Folk History of Slavery in the United States (1936–38)
* The Peculiar Institution (1956)
* The Slave Community (1972)
* Barracoon: The Story of the Last "Black Cargo" (2018)

Fiction/novels|

* Oroonoko (1688)
* Sab (1841)
* Uncle Tom's Cabin (1852)
* The Heroic Slave (1852)
* Clotel (1853)
* The Bondwoman's Narrative (c. 1853 – c. 1861)
* Dred: A Tale of the Great Dismal Swamp (1856)
* Our Nig (1859)
* Jubilee (1966)
* The Confessions of Nat Turner (1967)
* Roots: The Saga of an American Family (1976)
* Underground to Canada (1977)
* Kindred (1979)
* Dessa Rose (1986)
* Beloved (1987)
* Middle Passage (1990)
* Queen: The Story of an American Family (1993)
* Hang a Thousand Trees with Ribbons (1996)
* Ama: A Story of the Atlantic Slave Trade (2001)
* Walk Through Darkness (2002)
* The Known World (2003)
* Unburnable (2006)
* The Book of Negroes (2007)
* The Underground Railroad (2016)

Young adult books|

* Amos Fortune, Free Man (1951)
* I, Juan de Pareja (1965)
* Copper Sun (2006)

Essays|

* "To a Southern Slaveholder" (1848)
* A Key to Uncle Tom's Cabin (1853)

Plays|

* The Escape; or, A Leap for Freedom (1858)
* The Octoroon (1859)
* Omar (2022)

Documentaries|

* Unchained Memories (2003)
* Frederick Douglass and the White Negro (2008)

Related|

* Abolitionism in the United States
* African-American literature
* Anti-Tom novels
* Atlantic slave trade
* Captivity narrative
* Caribbean literature
* Films featuring slavery
* Slavery in the United States
* Songs of the Underground Railroad
* Treatment of slaves in the United States
* List of last surviving American enslaved people
* Book of Negroes (1783)
* Cotton Plantation Record and Account Book (1847)
* Slave-Trading in the Old South (1931)
* Sarah Johnson's Mount Vernon (2008)
* Slave Songs of the United States (1867)
* Amazing Grace: An Anthology of Poems about Slavery (2002)
* The Hemingses of Monticello (2008)

Authority control databases

International|

* ISNI
* VIAF
* FAST
* WorldCat

National|

* Germany
* United States
* Netherlands
* Norway
* Israel
* Belgium

Other|

* IdRef
* SNAC

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*[c.]: circa