Black Women Freedom Fighters: Profiles in the Struggle Against Slavery

During the antebellum period, African American women were at the center of the nation’s battle between slavery and liberty as the country moved closer to civil war. Their resistance added momentum to the abolition movement and led to a more militant stance against slavery among both Black and White Northerners. While their fight exposed the true horrors of slavery, these women’s stories also reveal their agency, resilience, and ingenuity.

This work highlights the lives of women who faced and fought against an institution that sanctioned both physical and sexual violence. It also examines the plight of free Black women who were kidnapped and thrust into slavery, and the effects of familial separation. The authors explore how the actions of African American women helped fuel the expansion of the Underground Railroad, influenced both state and federal policy, and ultimately played a vital role in the abolition movement. This book shifts the narrative of emancipation, illuminating the vital contributions of African American women and positioning them at the center of the fight to end slavery.

Gordon S. Barker is professor of history at Bishop’s University in Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada. Sophie A. 5/22/2023Brady is a graduate student in history at Carleton University in Ottawa where she works as a program interpreter at the Canadian Museum of History and the Canadian War Museum.