About the book
Freedom’s Mirage traces the exceptional life of Virgil Bennehan, born in bondage in 1808 in Piedmont North Carolina, who rose to become an enslaved doctor on one of the South’s largest plantations and to view himself as a friend to Black and white people alike. Emancipated in 1848 but required to leave the state to be free, he was sent to Liberia. Though richly endowed and royally welcomed, he found himself subject to new rulers and mired in the worst medical catastrophe in Liberian history. Recrossing the Atlantic, he boldly returned to North Carolina to warn slave owners that Liberia was a death trap. Yet again exiled from his native state, he declared in March 1849 his intention to go to gold rush California, the one place at midcentury that seemed to offer an open field, even to a man of color.
Intrepidly researched and grippingly told, Virgil Bennehan’s story reveals the complexity and fragility of human relationships within bondage. Once liberated, Bennehan led a tumultuous life that dramatized the fleeting promise and pervasive limits of Black freedom in the era of slavery—and foreshadowed the future for generations that followed.
Editions of Freedom's Mirage
- Hardcover
- ISBN 9781469682648
- Paperback
- ISBN 9781469682655
- EBook
- ISBN 9781469679075
- EBook
- ISBN 9781469682679
- EBook
- ISBN 9781469682686
- PDF
- ISBN 9781469682662
Read an Excerpt
Freedom’s Mirage traces the exceptional life of Virgil Bennehan, born in bondage in 1808 in Piedmont North Carolina, who rose to become an enslaved doctor on one of the South’s largest plantations and to view himself as a friend to Black and white people alike. Emancipated in 1848 but required to leave the state to be free, he was sent to Liberia. Though richly endowed and royally welcomed, he found himself subject to new rulers and mired in the worst medical catastrophe in Liberian history. Recrossing the Atlantic, he boldly returned to North Carolina to warn slave owners that Liberia was a death trap. Yet again exiled from his native state, he declared in March 1849 his intention to go to gold rush California, the one place at midcentury that seemed to offer an open field, even to a man of color.
Intrepidly researched and grippingly told, Virgil Bennehan’s story reveals the complexity and fragility of human relationships within bondage. Once liberated, Bennehan led a tumultuous life that dramatized the fleeting promise and pervasive limits of Black freedom in the era of slavery—and foreshadowed the future for generations that followed.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Freedom's Mirage about?
Freedom’s Mirage traces the exceptional life of Virgil Bennehan, born in bondage in 1808 in Piedmont North Carolina, who rose to become an enslaved doctor on one of the South’s largest plantations and to view himself as a friend to Black and white people alike. Emancipated in 1848 but required to leave the state to be free, he was sent to Liberia. Though richly endowed and royally welcomed, he found himself subject to new rulers and mired in the worst medical catastrophe in Liberian history. Recrossing the Atlantic, he boldly returned to North Carolina to warn slave owners that Liberia was a death trap. Yet again exiled from his native state, he declared in March 1849 his intention to go to gold rush California, the one place at midcentury that seemed to offer an open field, even to a man of color.
Intrepidly researched and grippingly told, Virgil Bennehan’s story reveals the complexity and fragility of human relationships within bondage. Once liberated, Bennehan led a tumultuous life that dramatized the fleeting promise and pervasive limits of Black freedom in the era of slavery—and foreshadowed the future for generations that followed.
What core themes, tropes, or subjects are explored in Freedom's Mirage?
History and Archaeology > History > History: specific events and topics > Social and cultural history
Where can I read a sample of Freedom's Mirage?
You can read an official preview of the few pages here https://www.book2look.com/book/9781469682648
How long is Freedom's Mirage and how many pages does it have?
Freedom's Mirage has 208 page(s)
Who is/are the Author/s of the book Freedom's Mirage?
Sydney Nathans
What are the ISBN numbers for the physical and digital editions?
Freedom's Mirage is available as hardcover(ISBN 9781469682648) and paperback(ISBN 9781469682655) and ebook(ISBN 9781469679075) and ebook(ISBN 9781469682679) and ebook(ISBN 9781469682686) and pdf(ISBN 9781469682662)
Where can I buy Freedom's Mirage online or support local independent bookshops?
You can buy Freedom's Mirage from below
Where can I buy Freedom's Mirage?