Lear Green's remarkable escape from slavery in 1857 exemplifies the bravery of many enslaved individuals who bravely risked everything to achieve freedom. Concealed in a wooden seaman's chest, Lear was sent on a steamship to Philadelphia, reflecting the hazardous yet hopeful journeys that approximately 100,000 runaways undertook via waterways. These escapes were facilitated by sympathetic sailors and dockworkers, underscoring maritime routes as crucial avenues for liberation, yet their stories remain underrepresented in historical accounts. Maritime scholar Marcus Rediker highlights this stark omission in his work, "Freedom Ship: The Uncharted History of Escaping Slavery by Sea," emphasizing the need for recognition of such audacious escapes.
Lear Green's harrowing escape as a stowaway on a steamship illustrates the courage of enslaved individuals who sought freedom through perilous journeys at sea.
As the ocean served as both a means of enslaving Africans and a vessel for their liberation, their remarkable stories have largely been overlooked in history.
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