About the book
Viola Franziska Müller examines runaways who camouflaged themselves among the free Black populations in Baltimore, Charleston, New Orleans, and Richmond. In the urban South, they found shelter, work, and other survival networks that enabled them to live in slaveholding territory, shielded and supported by their host communities in an act of collective resistance to slavery. While all fugitives risked their lives to escape slavery, those who fled to southern cities were perhaps the most vulnerable of all. Not dissimilar to modern-day refugees and illegal migrants, runaway slaves that sought refuge in the urban South were antebellum America’s undocumented people, forging lives free from bondage but without the legal status of freedpeople. Spanning from the 1810s to the start of the Civil War, Müller reveals how urbanization, work opportunities, and the interconnectedness of free and enslaved Black people in each city determined how successfully runaways could remain invisible to authorities.
Editions of Escape to the City
- Hardcover
- ISBN 9781469671055
- Paperback
- ISBN 9781469671062
- EBook
- ISBN 9798890863096
- EBook
- ISBN 9781469671086
- EBook
- ISBN 9781469671079
- PDF
- ISBN 9798890863089
Read an Excerpt
Viola Franziska Müller examines runaways who camouflaged themselves among the free Black populations in Baltimore, Charleston, New Orleans, and Richmond. In the urban South, they found shelter, work, and other survival networks that enabled them to live in slaveholding territory, shielded and supported by their host communities in an act of collective resistance to slavery. While all fugitives risked their lives to escape slavery, those who fled to southern cities were perhaps the most vulnerable of all. Not dissimilar to modern-day refugees and illegal migrants, runaway slaves that sought refuge in the urban South were antebellum America’s undocumented people, forging lives free from bondage but without the legal status of freedpeople. Spanning from the 1810s to the start of the Civil War, Müller reveals how urbanization, work opportunities, and the interconnectedness of free and enslaved Black people in each city determined how successfully runaways could remain invisible to authorities.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Escape to the City about?
Viola Franziska Müller examines runaways who camouflaged themselves among the free Black populations in Baltimore, Charleston, New Orleans, and Richmond. In the urban South, they found shelter, work, and other survival networks that enabled them to live in slaveholding territory, shielded and supported by their host communities in an act of collective resistance to slavery. While all fugitives risked their lives to escape slavery, those who fled to southern cities were perhaps the most vulnerable of all. Not dissimilar to modern-day refugees and illegal migrants, runaway slaves that sought refuge in the urban South were antebellum America’s undocumented people, forging lives free from bondage but without the legal status of freedpeople. Spanning from the 1810s to the start of the Civil War, Müller reveals how urbanization, work opportunities, and the interconnectedness of free and enslaved Black people in each city determined how successfully runaways could remain invisible to authorities.
What core themes, tropes, or subjects are explored in Escape to the City?
Society and Social Sciences > Society and culture: general > Social groups, communities and identities > Ethnic studies / Ethnicity
Where can I read a sample of Escape to the City?
You can read an official preview of the few pages here https://www.book2look.com/book/9781469671055
How long is Escape to the City and how many pages does it have?
Escape to the City has 262 page(s)
Who is/are the Author/s of the book Escape to the City?
Viola Franziska Müller
What are the ISBN numbers for the physical and digital editions?
Escape to the City is available as hardcover(ISBN 9781469671055) and paperback(ISBN 9781469671062) and ebook(ISBN 9798890863096) and ebook(ISBN 9781469671086) and ebook(ISBN 9781469671079) and pdf(ISBN 9798890863089)
Where can I buy Escape to the City online or support local independent bookshops?
You can buy Escape to the City from below
Where can I buy Escape to the City?