The Fugitive Blacksmith or, Events in the History of James W. C. Pennington, Pastor of a Presbyterian Church, New York, Formerly a Slave in the State of Maryland, United States

by James W.C. Pennington

This book was converted from its physical edition to the digital format by a community of volunteers. You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery.

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Biography

107 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 1, 1971

Reviews

[Denise Billings · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pennington escaped from slavery 20 or so years before Frederick Douglass. Both amazed me in that they sent letters to their former masters. They wanted to know what happened to their relatives who were still in bondage. Douglass was attempting to purchase his freedom so he could finally stop looking over his shoulder for slave hunters. Hard to read. I read about Pennington in Douglass' book. Gotta read some lighter fare.

[Constance Cole · Rating 5 out of 5]

Informative

There are so few first accounts written by the enslaved and this is very informative as a first person account.

[Catherine Botts · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pennington in his 60+ page book leaves us with a powerful message as he has written a letter to his former owner from his religious point of view as an anti-slave preacher.

A powerful message we can all learn from for our own choices on this side of heaven.

[Anthony Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good

Another good read. His understanding of the gospel is holistic. It shows how black Christians could distguish from biblical truth and a lie

[James · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Talk not then about kind and christian masters. They are not masters of the system. The system is master of them; and the slaves are their vassals."

[Douglas · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was interested in hearing about the author's journey from slavery to becoming a Presbyterian Pastor. While the book mostly focuses on his captivity and escape, the two letters at the end of the book, one to his family that never made it out of slavery and the other to his former slave master, are beautiful.

"I know not where the boy is, but I have no doubt he is worth more to himself than he ever was to his master, high as he fixes the price on him."

[Felicia · Rating 5 out of 5]

They don't teach you this stuff in school. You don't get a good picture of what slavery was like until you read the words of a former slave. This should be read in every high school.