Behind the Scenes of Master Slave Husband Wife

Master Slave Husband Wife tells the remarkable true story of Ellen and William Craft, who escaped slavery through daring, determination, and disguise, with Ellen passing as a wealthy, disabled White man and William posing as “his” slave. The Crafts’ own 1860 narrative, Running a Thousand Miles for Freedom, provides a powerful first-hand account of this extraordinary act of mutual self-emancipation. Yet, many mysteries remain that the Crafts would not or could not discuss.

Highlighting her research at the American Antiquarian Society, Woo reveals the extensive archival sleuthing behind the writing of her new book. Among the questions she explores: What were the prices of freedom? Who remained in the world that the Crafts left behind? What was it like to ride the rails on the famed Overland Mail Route, don a gentleman’s clothes? The dress of the times, illuminated with expert contributions from award-winning costume historian and AAS member Lynne Zacek Bassett, provides vital clues that help render a rich depiction of the period, during which the Crafts made their unforgettable journey out of the South and ultimately, out of the Unites States, in search of freedom.