The Schooner 'Pearl' Incident, 1848

The Greatest Escape of African slaves in American history



This unique book from Leonaur collects three pieces concerning the so called 'Schooner Pearl Incident' of 1848. This bid for freedom by seventy-seven slaves from Washington DC, a decade or so before the outbreak of the American Civil War, was the largest ever attempt to escape by slaves in American history and one of the most significant episodes in the struggle by African slaves to gain freedom in the U. S. A. The escape was organised by both white and free black radicals and the plan included a 225 mile sail by the 'Pearl' carrying the slaves to the 'free state' of New Jersey. Ill fortune and bad weather delayed the escapees and they were quickly captured by an armed posse travelling on a steamboat. The re-captured slaves were punished by being sold into the southern states and the incident promoted pro-slavery riots in Washington. These events proved tragic for most of those who participated in the escape and included imprisonment for some of the instigators. 'The Schooner Pearl Incident' nevertheless promoted vigorous political debate about slavery and contributed to the abolition of the slave trade in the District of Columbia. The Edmondson sisters, two of the recaptured slaves, achieved fame when their freedom was purchased by the congregation of a Brooklyn, New York, church. The escape also provided the inspiration for Harriet Beecher Stowe's enduringly famous novel 'Uncle Tom's Cabin.'

Leonaur editions are newly typeset and are not facsimiles; each title is available in softcover and hardback with dustjacket; our hardbacks are cloth bound and feature gold foil lettering on their spines and fabric head and tail bands.