Description: To Free a Family tells the remarkable story of Mary Walker, who in August 1848 fled her owner for refuge in the North and spent the next seventeen years trying to recover her son and daughter. Her freedom, like that of thousands who escaped from bondage, came at a great price--remorse at parting without a word, fear for her family's fate.
Brief description: Sydney Nathans is Professor Emeritus of History, Duke University.
Review Quotes: Offers a poignant, personal portrait that shows the perils of emancipation and freedom in the nineteenth century...Nathans' portrait of Mary Walker, a fugitive slave, is a masterful work by an accomplished historian. To Free a Family is a wonderful read that deftly navigates the demands of rigorous historical insight while also providing a compelling narrative.--Kevin Vrevich "Historical Journal of Massachusetts" (9/27/2022 12:00:00 AM)