The Road to Dawn: Josiah Henson and the Story That Sparked the Civil War

by Jared A. Brock

Overview

A major literary moment: after being lost to history for more than a century, The Road to Dawn uncovers the incredible story of the real-life slave who inspired Uncle Tom's Cabin.

-He rescued 118 enslaved people
-He won a medal at the first World's Fair in London
-Queen Victoria invited him to Windsor Castle
-Rutherford B. Hayes entertained him at the White House
-He helped start a freeman settlement, called Dawn, that was known as one of the final stops on the Underground Railroad
-He was immortalized in Harriet Beecher Stowe's Uncle Tom's Cabin, the novel that Abraham Lincoln jokingly blamed for sparking the Civil War

But before all this, Josiah Henson was brutally enslaved for more than forty years.

Author-filmmaker Jared A. Brock retraces Henson's 3,000+ mile journey from slavery to freedom and re-introduces the world to a forgotten figure of the Civil War era, along with his accompanying documentary narrated by Hollywood actor Danny Glover.

The Road to Dawn is a ground-breaking biography lauded by leaders at the NAACP, the Smithsonian, senators, authors, professors, the President of Mauritius, and the 21st Prime Minister of Canada, and will no doubt restore a hero of the abolitionist movement to his rightful place in history.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781541773929
Publisher:	PublicAffairs
Publication date:	05/15/2018
Pages:	320
Sales rank:	292,804
Product dimensions:	6.30(w) x 9.30(h) x 1.20(d)

About the Author

Jared A. Brock is the author of A Year of Living Prayerfully, Bearded Gospel Men, and The Road to Dawn. Brock is the director of Over 18, Red Light Green Light, and Josiah, and his writing has appeared in Esquire, Huffington Post, and Writer's Digest.

Table of Contents

Author's Note xv

Map of Josiah's Path xvii

1 Port Tobacco 1

2 The Wounded Leader 15

3 Kentucky Bound 41

4 Double Cross 55

5 Murder and Providence 67

6 The Great Escape 83

7 The Struggle For Light 105

8 The Great Exhibition 141

9 The Real Uncle Tom 167

10 Homecoming 229

Epilogue 247

A Clarion Call 257

Acknowledgments 261

Notes 265

Illustrations appear between pages 140 and 141.

Editorial Reviews

04/02/2018
Uncle Tom, the hero of Harriet Beecher Stowe’s 1852 novel Uncle Tom’s Cabin, is generally viewed as a humble, even obsequious character, symbolizing African-Americans’ internalization of their oppression. But, as anti–human trafficking activist Brock’s vivid biography shows, Josiah Henson, on whom Tom was based, liberated not only himself but many of his fellow slaves. Born on a Maryland plantation in the late 18th century, Henson becomes an overseer and a preacher, for many years accepting rather than resisting white dominance. But when faced with the prospect of being sold apart from his family, he orchestrates their escape. Reaching Canada with his wife and four children, Henson becomes a “conductor” on the Underground Railroad and establishes a free black community, Dawn, in rural Ontario. He narrates his autobiography to a Bostonian abolitionist, who brings Henson to Stowe’s attention, and she draws heavily upon his experiences in composing her novel, which Abraham Lincoln later claims created the Civil War. While Brock’s breezy writing style, replete with imagined conversations between historical figures, sometimes seems at odds with the somber subject matter, this is nonetheless a moving account of Henson’s life and a book from which readers will learn a great deal about the struggle against slavery. Agents: Jennifer Gates and Jane von Mehren, Aevitas Creative Management. (May)

Publishers Weekly

"Vivid....a moving account of Henson's life and a book from which readers will learn a great deal about the struggle against slavery."—Publishers Weekly

"Jared Brock's biography of Josiah Henson is an impressive effort to piece together the story of a man nearly lost to history and broken by slavery. The Road to Dawn is sure to become required reading in the archives of African American history."—Lonnie G. Bunch III,Founding Director, Smithsonian National Museum of African American History andCulture

"The Road to Dawn tells the story of a courageous man who pursued the common good in spite of painful wounds, discouraging setbacks, and personal flaws. Josiah's winsome character and role within the broader abolitionist context keep us turning the page, as does Jared Brock's fine storytelling about this American figure. And these stories remind us that we have much to learn from those who embody the message of justice and mercy, whatever their flaws or fortune may be."—TimothyB. Tyson, Senior Research Scholar at the Center for Documentary Studies at DukeUniversity, author of The Blood of Emmett Till and BloodDone Sign My Name

"Among the many incredible things he accomplished throughout his lifetime, readers might be surprised to learn Josiah Henson was one of our nation's first social entrepreneurs. The Road to Dawn expertly explains how education and economy are key elements for achieving emancipation and equality."—DevalPatrick, former Governor of Massachusetts, managing director, Bain CapitalDouble Impact

"The Road to Dawn is an honest and moving portrait of one of our nation's greatest unsung heroes. Jared Brock's biography brings much-deserved attention to Josiah Henson's epic life story, serving as a reminder to what can be accomplished when we fight on the right side of history."—TheRight Honorable Paul Martin P.C., 21st Prime Minister of Canada

"For too many years, the contributions of African-Americans to our society were minimized or hidden. This book captures the triumph of the human spirit over slavery and of man's inhumanity to man. Josiah Henson exhibited an indefatigable determination to live a life dedicated to the realization of educational opportunities and self-sufficiency for all. We can never know too much about those who paved the way and about those upon whose shoulders we stand."—Lillie R Hughes,National Council of Negro Women

"The Road to Dawn expertly casts Josiah Henson's heroic struggle for emancipation against the backdrop of a national fight for freedom, and in doing so, re-introduces a vital character to American history."—JamieGlavic, National Underground Railroad Freedom Center


"Harriet Tubman [and] Frederick Douglass are well known figures in the abolition of slavery. Josiah Henson was less known. Here was a man who had spent more than 40 years in slavery but promised to use his freedom well. He delivered on that promise. Jared A. Brock takes us through the life of a hero of the abolitionist era who overcame unspeakable pain and adversity to make an impact on his home country. A must read."—Ameenah Gurib-Fakim, President of the Republic of Mauritius

"Josiah Henson made a vow to use his freedom well, and his successful legacy serves as an inspiration long after his lifetime. As a descendant of once-enslaved Americans who also used their freedom well, I hope many will join me in reading the vital message of The Road to Dawn."—Justin Fairfax, 41st Lieutenant Governor of Virginia


"Jared Brock brings to life the struggles and perseverance of a man almost forgotten in history. This well-researched book documents the life of Josiah Henson, whose experiences in Maryland, his escape to Canada, and his work on the Underground Railroad reveal a man of incredible fortitude and determination."—Senator Thomas M. Middleton

"Finally, a biography worthy of the man. The Road to Dawn elevates Josiah Henson to his rightful place among important international liberators and frees him from the grip of 'Uncle Tom.' Black history, when properly told will transform your life and your thinking."—Cheryl Janifer LaRoche, PhD author of Free Black Communities and the Underground Railroad


"A captivating biography of superb scholarship."—Library Journal, starred review


"From newspaper advertisements to slave narratives, Brock conveys graphic accounts of the violence of slavery. But from the novels of the day to Henson's own autobiography, he remains focused on Henson's personal story. This is perhaps this book's greatest feat-keeping Henson's message and story central."—Chapter16.org


"Fabulous...highly recommended."—Eric Metaxas

AudioFile Earphone Award-winner
—-

From the Publisher

★ 05/01/2018
Brock (A Year of Living Prayerfully) graphically recounts the tumultuous Maryland childhood of Josiah Henson (1789–1883), during which time his enslaved family is separated, and Henson himself is beaten and denied literacy. While he eventually raises money to pay for his freedom, his third master reneges on their deal. As a result, Henson, his wife, Nancy, and their children escape to Canada in 1830. Brock vividly describes Henson's years at the Dawn Settlement, a refuge for fugitive slaves, and his founding of the British-American Institute. In 1849, Henson's autobiography is published followed by his prophetic visit to Harriet Beecher Stowe's home in Andover, MA. The author effectively relays how Henson was surprisingly defamed by residents of Dawn during a trip to London, and his efforts to clear his name. Over time, however, old charges of misappropriation of funds at Dawn reemerge, Nancy Henson passes away, he remarries, and his life is universally accepted as the inspiration for Stowe's Uncle Tom. Following Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation (1863), many at Dawn returned to America, and Henson's beloved institute simply fades away. Nonetheless, he would remain at Dawn for life. VERDICT A captivating biography of superb scholarship. Recommended for U.S., Anglo-American, and African American historians, middle period specialists and general readers.—John Carver Edwards, formerly with Univ. of Georgia Libs.

Library Journal

Read More