Synopses & Reviews
On the evening of April 15, 1848, seventy-seven slaves attempted one of history's most audacious escapes-- and put in motion a furiously fought battle over slavery in America that would consume Congress, the streets of the capital, and the White House itself. Setting sail from Washington, D.C., on a schooner named the Pearl, the fugitives began a daring 225-mile journey to freedom in the North. Mary Kay Ricks's unforgettable chronicle brings to life the Underground Railroad's largest escape attempt, the seemingly immutable politics of slavery, and the individuals who struggled to end it. All the while, Ricks focuses her narrative on the intimate story of two young sisters who were onboard the Pearl, and sets their struggle for liberation against the powerful historical forces that would nearly tear the country apart.
After a terrifyingly calm night, the wind came up as the sun rose the next morning, and the small schooner shot off down the Potomac River. Hours later, stunned owners-- including a former first lady, a shipping magnate, a former congressman, a federal marshal, and a Baptist minister-- raised the alarm. Authorities quickly formed a posse that chased the fugitives down the river. But with a head start and a robust wind that filled their sails, the Pearl raced ahead-- unaware that a violent squall was moving into their path and would halt their bid for freedom.
Escape on the Pearl reveals the incredible odyssey of those who were onboard, including the remarkable lives of fugitives Mary and Emily Edmonson, the two sisters at the heart of the story, who would trade servitude in elite Washington homes for slave pens in three states.Through the efforts of the sisters' father and the northern conductor who had helped organize the escape, an abolitionist outcry arose in the North, calling for the two girls to be rescued. Ultimately, Mary and Emily would go on to stand shoulder to shoulder with such abolitionist luminaries as Frederick Douglass and attend Oberlin College under the sponsorship of Harriet Beecher Stowe.
A story of courage and determination, Escape on the Pearl revives one of the most poignant chapters of U.S. history. The Edmonsons, the other fugitives of the Pearl, and those who helped them can now take their rightful place as American heroes.
Review
“The thrilling story of the largest mass escape of fugitive slaves in American history.” Fergus Borderwich, author of < i=""> Bound for Canaan: The Underground Railroad and the War for the Soul of America < i="">
Review
“Compelling . . . gripping . . . connects the reader to the desperation and courage of freedom-seekers.” Ann Hagedorn, author of < i=""> Beyond the River: The Untold Story of the Heroes of the Underground Railroad <>
Review
“Exciting. . . . Fascinating. . . . Succeeds as both a historical account and an enjoyable read.” Chicago Sun-Times
Review
“An exciting and important story...A must read for all who seek to understand the history of freedom in America.” James Oliver Horton, co-author of < i=""> Slavery and the Making of America < i="">
Synopsis
On the evening of April 15, 1848, seventy-seven enslaved Americans set sail from Washington, DC, on a fifty-four ton schooner named the Pearl. They had just begun the largest known escape attempt in the history of the Underground Railroad. Mary Kay Ricks tells the gripping tale of this endeavor in Escape on the Pearl.
Although the Pearl was captured, the attempt galvanized both sides of the slavery debate, as slave traders arranged to bring the escapees back to captivity, and abolitionists used the incident to cast a damning light of the institution of slavery. Ricks also focuses on the story of Mary and Emily Edmonson, two sisters who set out to reach the free states, but instead found themselves on the path to a much greater adventure. Escape on the Pearl is a riveting true story that brings to life the controversy and conflict surrounding slavery in America.
Mary Kay Ricks is the recognized expert on the Pearl incident. A former attorney at the Department of Labor, Ricks is the founder of a historical walking tour company that highlights the Underground Railroad and Civil War history in Washington, DC. She has written numerous articles about Washington for travel magazines.
"Thanks to Ricks's meticulous research, long forgotten men and women speak to us again at last, from within the dark heart of American slavery." -- Fergus Borderwich, author of Bound for Canaan: The Underground Railroad and the War for the Soul of America
--Ann Hagedorn, author of
Beyond the River: The Untold Story of the Heroes of the Underground RailroadSynopsis
On the evening of April 15, 1848, nearly eighty enslaved Americans attempted one of history's most audacious escapes. Setting sail from Washington, D.C., on a schooner named the
Pearl, the fugitives began a daring 225-mile journey to freedom in the North—and put in motion a furiously fought battle over slavery in America that would consume Congress, the streets of the capital, and the White House itself.
Mary Kay Ricks's unforgettable chronicle brings to life the Underground Railroad's largest escape attempt, the seemingly immutable politics of slavery, and the individuals who struggled to end it. Escape on the Pearl reveals the incredible odyssey of those who were onboard, including the remarkable lives of fugitives Mary and Emily Edmonson, the two sisters at the heart of this true story of courage and determination.
About the Author
A former attorney at the Department of Labor, Mary Kay Ricks has written about Washington history in numerous publications including the Washington Post. She is the founder