This riveting account explores the life of Thomas Smallwood, an extraordinary abolitionist, liberator, and writer who purchased his freedom and led hundreds out of slavery while popularizing the term "underground railroad." Born into slavery, Smallwood became a self-educated shoemaker near the U.S. Capitol by the 1840s. Partnering with young white activist Charles Torrey, he organized mass escapes from Washington, Baltimore, and nearby areas to the North. They faced formidable adversaries, such as Hope Slatter, a leading slave trader in a cruel industry that tore families apart and sold one million enslaved people to brutal plantations in the South. Men, women, and children at risk of being sold turned to Smallwood, who bravely fought against what he called "the most inhuman system that ever blackened the pages of history." He documented these escapes through satirical newspaper columns that ridiculed slaveholders, traders, and their enforcers. As Americans confront a tragic past and the ongoing legacy of white supremacy, this compelling narrative sheds light on Smallwood's remarkable story, presenting complex heroes and genuine villains in a context that resonates with today's issues of racial inequity.
