Ellen and William Craft

As we close out Black History Month, I’d like to share a story of courage that I recently discovered. Despite the name of this blog, I am not implying that any story involving enslaved people can be construed as “just a little good news”. I am saying there are heroes in every situation.

Two of those heroes are William Craft (b.1824) and Ellen Smith Craft (b.1826). Both enslaved from birth, both wrenched away from their parents and siblings as children. Ellen was the daughter of Maria and her enslaver Colonel James Smith. Ellen’s very light skinned caused Colonel Smith’s wife consternation as Ellen was frequently mistaken for one of the family. So, Ellen was given way as a wedding present to a family member in Macon.

Ellen worked as a lady’s maid, William as a carpenter. William and Ellen met and fell in love. They married in 1846 but were not allowed to live together. Having both been ripped from their family as children, the thought of having a family, William would later write of Ellen, “filled her soul with horror”.

In December of 1848 the two devised an ingenious ruse to disguise Ellen as an invalid gentleman on his way to doctors in the North accompanied by “his” slave William. To conceal that Ellen could not sign her name, her arm was bandaged. She wore trousers she had sewn herself, donned green lens glasses and top hat. As a skilled craftsman, William could occasionally work off the planation and was allowed to keep a small portion of his earnings. With those collected funds and a lot hope, the harrowing adventure began on a train in Macon.

Ellen was seated in first-class, while William was put in the “negro car”. The trepidation was heightened from the very beginning as Ellen was seated next to a frequent guest at the plantation where she served. She was sure she was found out, but was relieved when her fellow traveler, said, “It’s a very fine morning, sir.” Ellen feigned deafness for the 200-mile journey to Savannah. That was just the first of several near-misses as they journeyed up the East Coast toward freedom.

On Christmas Day they arrived in Philadelphia and Ellen proclaimed through tears, “Thank God, William, we’re safe!” The couple then made their way to Boston, where William used his skills as a cabinet maker and Ellen as a seamstress. They learned to read and write and told their story publicly working closely with the abolitionist movement.

After the passage of the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850, the couple had to flee to England where they finally felt safe enough to have a family. A family of 5 children.

The story continues with finally a move back to Georgia and the establishment of the Woodville Co-operative Farm School for newly freed children.

If you’re interested check our more details here. Or if you are really interested join me in reading William’s book Running A Thousand Miles for Freedom, written in 1860 and still available.