Escape on the Pearl - by Mary Kay Ricks (Paperback)

About the Book

A story of people, politics, and power, this gripping narrative is about a schooner named the "Pearl" and of the 70 slaves who embarked on one of the most audacious escapes in American history. 16-page photo insert.

Book Synopsis

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.

Review Quotes

"Exciting. . . . Fascinating. . . . Succeeds as both a historical account and an enjoyable read." -- Chicago Sun-Times

"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 Slavery and the Making of America

"The thrilling story of the largest mass escape of fugitive slaves in American history." -- Fergus Borderwich, author of Bound for Canaan: The Underground Railroad and the War for the Soul of America

"Compelling . . . gripping . . . connects the reader to the desperation and courage of freedom-seekers." -- Ann Hagedorn, author of Beyond the River: The Untold Story of the Heroes of the Underground Railroad