Learning toolkit
Background
Henry was born into an enslaved family in 1815 on Hermitage plantation in Louisa County, about 50 miles from Richmond, Virginia.
In 1849, his wife Nancy was expecting their fourth child, when she and the children were sold to a plantation in North Carolina. Henry decided to escape, and with the help of shoemaker Samuel A Smith and Black Freedman James CA 'Boxer' Smith, they built a small wooden box 91cm by 81cm by 61cm, and lined it with baize.
On March 23 1849, Henry squeezed himself into the box with a few biscuits, a bottle of water, and an awl to bore air holes when he couldn't breathe, and he was posted via the Adams Express Company to the Quaker merchant Passmore Williams of the Philadelphia Vigilance Committee. The box was transported by wagon, railroad, steamboat, and ferry for twenty seven hours, sometimes upside down with the blood rushing to Henry's head. On his arrival in Philadelphia, he burst out of the box and sang a hymn to freedom.
In January 1855 he first appeared in Wales, where he performed throughout the Valleys. The Cardiff and Merthyr Guardian Glamorgan Monmouth and Brecon Gazette reported on 12th January, 'Mr. Henry Box Brown, we believe, is a gentleman of colour, and an escaped slave, (who will) exhibit a popular Panorama of African and American Slavery, consisting of views in the interior of Africa, with illustrations of the... customs of the natives. Not to particularize further, we think it will be well worth going to.'
Peter Stevenson c2024
Possible questions to discuss
- Why did Henry Box Brown post himself in a box?
- What was life like for Black people in America in the 19th century?
- How did Henry share his story?
- How do we know Henry visitied Wales?
Activity ideas
- Create a profile of Henry Box Brown.
- Research the Transatlantic slave trade.
- Read the articles for the newspapers.
- Watch Phil Okwedy's story.
- Create a mini-crankie.
- Narrate Henry Box Brown's story to go along with the video of Peter Stevenson's crankie.
Learning experiences
(derived from the statements of what matters)
Expressive Arts
- Developing creative techniques
- Representing personal, social and cultural identities
- Understanding context in creative works
- Mastering creative techniques
- Exploring purpose and meaning
- Convey feelings and emotions
- Develop and refine designs
Health and Well-being
- Empathy
- Understanding relationships
- Feelings and mental health
- Social decisions
- Social awareness
Humanities
- Understanding ideas and perspectives
- Human impact on the world
- Understanding the past
- Understanding human rights
- Similarity and social differentiation
- Contribution to society
- Identity