A narrative of Thomas Smallwood, (Coloured man)
Subtitle: giving an account of his birth, the period he was held in slavery, his release and removal to Canada, etc. : together with an account of the Underground Railroad
By: written by himself
Contributors: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Documenting the American South (Project); University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Library
Edition: Electronic ed.
Publisher: Academic Affairs Library, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Published: 2001
Place of publication: Chapel Hill, N.C.]
Language: eng
Subjects: African Americans; Biography; Slaves; Freed persons; Fugitive slaves; Underground Railroad; Antislavery movements; Slavery; Black people; Slaves' writings; American Colonization Society
Other titles: North American slave narratives.
Description: Thomas Smallwood 's narrative describes briefly his own years as a slave but focuses mostly on his life after being freed at age 30. For several years, Smallwood worked as an advocate for the American Colonization Society (he always referred to it as the "African Colonisation Society") but became disillusioned with its mission and methods, and turned his efforts to working with organizers of the Underground Railroad around Maryland and Washington, D.C.  Much of the narrative describes in detail his work helping slaves to escape and the danger from both slaveholders and associates who betrayed him, sometimes forcing him and his family to seek refuge in Canada. What he sees as the bitterness of life for Blacks in the U.S., both slave and free, turns him completely against the United States and he ends by advocating life in Canada for former slaves. In his preface, Smallwood includes anti-slavery quotations from influential European writers as well as a short sketch about David Walker, the author of "Walker's appeal," a passionate denunciation of slavery written in 1829 that greatly influenced him.
Notes: Title from electronic title page (viewed October 23, 2003)

This electronic edition has been transcribed from a microfiche supplied by the North Carolina State University Library.

This electronic edition is part of the UNC-CH digitization project's database, Documenting the American South.  It is a part of the collection North American slave narratives.

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Transcribed from the microfiche of: A narrative of Thomas Smallwood, (Coloured man) : giving an account of his birth, the period he was held in slavery, his release and removal to Canada, etc. : together with an account of the Underground Railroad / written by himself. Toronto : Printed for the author by James Stephens, 1851. 63 p.

Funding from the National Endowment for the Humanities supported the electronic publication of this title.

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