Beacons of Liberty : International Free Soil and the Fight for Racial Justice in Antebellum America

Examines the American anti-slavery movement through stories of harrowing escape, political grandstanding, and mass migration. Shows how debates over citizenship, equality, and national character in the nineteenth century unfolded on an international stage against the backdrop of free-soil havens in places like Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean.

Before the Civil War, free African Americans and fugitive slaves crossed international borders to places like Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean in search of freedom and equality. Beacons of Liberty tells the story of how these bold migrants catalyzed contentious debates over citizenship, racial justice, and national character in the United States. Blending fresh historical analysis with incredible stories of escape and rebellion, Elena K. Abbott shows how the shifting geography of slavery and freedom beyond US borders helped shape the hopes and expectations of black radicals, white politicians, and fiery reformers engaged in the American anti-slavery movement. Featuring perspectives from activists and risk-takers like Mary Ann Shadd, Martin Delany, and James C. Brown, Beacons of Liberty illuminates the critical role that international free soil played in the long and arduous fight for emancipation and racial justice in the United States.