Publisher's Synopsis
Henry Walton Bibb (May 10, 1815- August 1, 1854), was an American author and abolitionist who was born into slavery. Bibb told his life story in his Narrative of the Life and Adventures of Henry Bibb, An American Slave, which included many failed escape attempts followed finally by success when he escaped to Detroit. After leaving Detroit to move to Canada with his family, due to issues with the legality of his assistance in the Underground Railroad, he founded the abolitionist newspaper, Voice of the Fugitive. He lived in Canada until his death.
Henry Bibb is mostly remembered for his life and many escape attempts which he documented in his narrative, but Henry Bibb's mission did not end after his successful escape. Bibb spent the remainder of his life after escape assisting in the Underground Railroad, and later publishing about the abolishment of slavery, while living in Canada. On the Underground Railroad Bibb mainly assisted on the route from Detroit to Canada, which crossed the Detroit river. Slaves would escape to Detroit, at which point they were safe and could either stay there, or cross the river to Detroit. Bibb worked tirelessly assisting this cause. Bibb assisted in establishing the Detroit River region as a safe haven and symbol of freedom for African American's escaping slavery on the Underground Railroad.
Even after Bibb moved to Canada to avoid prosecution for his assistance in the Underground Railroad, he still aided those escaping slavery through his publications.
Bibb's The Life and Adventures of Henry Bibb allowed for his story to remain known. (wikipedia.org)
