Making Freedom : The Extraordinary Life of Venture Smith

Krimsky, George A., Saint, Chandler B.

ISBN 10: 0819568546 / ISBN 13: 9780819568540

Published by Wesleyan University Press, 2009

About this Item

Former library copy. Pages intact with minimal writing/highlighting. The binding may be loose and creased. Dust jackets/supplements are not included. Includes library markings. Stock photo provided. Product includes identifying sticker. Better World Books: Buy Books. Do Good.

Seller Inventory # GRP78844361

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Making Freedom : The Extraordinary Life of Venture Smith
• Publisher: Wesleyan University Press
• Publication Date: 2009
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0819568546
• ISBN 13: 9780819568540
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition: Illustrated.
• Condition: Good
• Weight: 1.102 pounds

About this title

Synopsis

The inspiring story of an 18th-century New England slave who emancipated himself

Making Freedom is the first in-depth exploration of the life of Venture Smith (1728–1805), a New England slave who was sold into bondage as a boy in Africa and labored for nearly a quarter-century before purchasing his own freedom and transforming himself into a highly respected American citizen. Drawing on years of research and documentation, including Venture Smith's rare personal autobiography, Saint and Krimsky vividly recount the extraordinary challenges he overcame. They cast a rare light on what it was like to be an African American in the north during the Colonial era. This story's relevance today prompted the BBC to produce a documentary on scholars' efforts to learn more about Venture Smith, his life, and family. The book includes a wealth of illustrations, a timeline, and Smith's original 1798 narrative in facsimile form.

About the Author

CHANDLER B. SAINT is president of the Beecher House Center for the Study of Equal Rights in Torrington, Connecticut. GEORGE A. KRIMSKY is a journalist and author, also residing in Connecticut. JAMES O. HORTON teaches history and American studies at George Washington University. The author of many books, he serves as a consultant to The History Channel, Discovery Channel, PBS, and ABC.