Making Freedom

“The clarity of Blackett’s vision make[s] this book suitable for a variety of audiences, including undergraduates, graduate students, and professional historians. Blackett’s storytelling makes for compelling writing, while the implications of those stories stimulate thinking.” — Journal of the Civil War Era

“[A] riveting book.” — Journal of Southern History

“Perceptively demonstrates that although marginalized, oppressed, and persecuted, formerly enslaved African Americans impacted 'the politics of scale' and determined the trajectory of the slavery debate in the United States.” — Journal of African American History

“Blackett delivers many vivid accounts of escapes. . . as well as an illuminating discussion of slave catching and the organized kidnapping of free blacks.” — Journal of Interdisciplinary History

“Gracefully written. . . . Clear and supported by evidence.” — The North Carolina Historical Review

“A must-read for all scholars of American slavery and the [Underground Railroad]” — West Virginia History

“Making Freedom is a well-written and informative volume that provides valuable insights into the thinking undergirding the actions of freedom seekers and their supporters.” — Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography

“Employ[s] memorable microhistories that open[s] the door to . . . big interpretive questions.” — Louisiana History

“A valuable work of scholarship and an asset among the shelves of libraries both public and personal.” — New York History

“This slender volume packs a powerful punch. R. J. M. Blackett selects compelling stories that convey the deep and extensive networks essential to the operation of the Underground Railroad, its corrosive effect on the slave system, and role in the ultimate demise of slavery.” — Ohio Valley History