In the early to mid-19th century, Isaac Brown, a slave, was accused of
the attempted murder of a prominent plantation owner, despite there
being no evidence of his guilt. Brown, after enduring two brutal
floggings, was shipped to a New Orleans slave pen. From there the
resourceful Brown was able to make a daring escape to Philadelphia in
the free state of Pennsylvania. His biggest error was writing a note
informing his free wife and 11 children in Maryland of his whereabouts.
The note was intercepted and led to his arrest and extradition back to
Maryland.
While engaged in researching an ancestor named Isaac Brown, Bryan Prince
encountered the very high-profile case of what turned out to be a
different Isaac Brown. The story of this slave, with its culmination in
Brown's dramatic escape and ultimate success in crossing the border into
Canada, is the riveting subject of historian Bryan Prince's latest book.