The Life of Josiah Henson, Formerly a Slave, Now an Inhabitant of Canada, as Na…

The Life of Josiah Henson, Formerly a Slave, Now an Inhabitant of Canada, as Narrated by Himself is an autobiographical narrative given by Josiah Henson and written by Samuel Atkins Eliot. Henson's life story was the real-life inspiration for Harriet Beecher Stowe's best-selling novel Uncle Tom's Cabin. During his life, Josiah Henson was a slave in Maryland where he was the overseer of his owner's modest, 300-acre farm. Through various life experiences (such as transporting slaves from MD to Kentucky, then later visiting those slaves after they'd been sold into the Deep South, and how run down they were; his owner agreeing to let him buy his freedom, only to hike up the price way beyond his means, etc.), unlike Uncle Tom, Josiah escapes with his family into Canada. Later he returns to help more slaves via the Underground Railroad. - Summary by progressingamerica and TriciaG (2 hr 0 min)