The True Story Behind 'Uncle Tom's Cabin,' The Book that Rocked Pre-Civil War America

when Uncle Tom's Cabin was published in 1852 the anti-slavery novel flew off the shelves 17 printing presses ran 24 hours a day to keep up with the demand making it the best-selling novel of the 19th century the book struck at our emotions as a nation and it made us see ourselves it was our emotional mirror and it prompted some individuals to rethink how they thought of slavery Uncle Tom's Cabin has been cited as a factor leading to the Civil War when Abraham Lincoln later met the author Harriet Beecher Stowe he reportedly said so you're the little woman who wrote the book that started this great war in 1852 the backlash was immediate and powerful in the south the book was banned and if you were caught selling the book you were either going to be killed or thrown in prison there was tremendous fear that this book would make a difference it did by portraying Uncle Tom as a dignified intelligent god-fearing man in the South however traveling tom shows became popular depicting him as a submissive buffoon happy in his enslaved condition a stereotype that still exists today there were also attempts to discredit Harriet Beecher Stowe the author countered with a key to Uncle Tom's Cabin an exhaustive bibliography of the real people behind her fictional characters and included her primary inspiration her Uncle Tom Josiah Henson was an individual who demonstrated extraordinary courage he tried to help other people especially whites in this country to understand the reality of slavery Josiah Henson's story begins here in Rockville Maryland on the outskirts of Washington DC now this suburban neighborhood was once a 570 acre plantation and the house behind me is where the owner lived a man named Isaac Riley and this time period masters wanted to present themselves to be very benevolent these patriarchs who cared about their people that were enslaved but the presentation that Henson gives us was that didn't happen Preiser Crowley I faithfully serve Raleigh for many years he was coarse and vulgar in his habits and I'm principled and cruel in his general deportment Henson's autobiography provides many examples of Riley's cruelty like the day he discovered a book on grammar hidden in nine-year-old Josiah is camp when Riley saw the book of course he was outraged because it was unheard of that his insane people would learn to read and write pick up that book he cried using an awful oath at last I was obliged to do it when he beat me across the head and back till my eyes were swollen and I became unconscious despite the harsh treatment Henson proved to be trustworthy eventually elevated to overseeing the plantation he was able to ease the harsh conditions faced by his fellow slaves when he was 18 he was even allowed to attend a revival meeting although not permitted to enter the church he heard a life-changing message from preacher John McKinney he said Jesus Christ the Son of God tasted death for every man it touched my heart and I cried out I wonder if Jesus Christ died for me again and again did the preacher reiterate the words for every man all the blessedness and sweetness of feeling that I was loved and that meant a lot to MPC knew that God would always be on his side he would deliver him and he would decide his plan in life the plan included moving his family and 18 others to Isaac Riley's brother's home in Kentucky when they got to Cincinnati Henson found his faithfulness tested although Ohio was a free state and many free black men encouraged them to stay he stood firm he felt like he had been tasked with this duty and he was going to fulfill it he had taken care of them and they felt like if he wants us to carry along we'll go Henson came to regret that decision three years after their arrival in Kentucky those who followed him were put up for auction husbands and wives parents and children were to be separated forever from that Iowa I saw through hated and cursed a whole system of slavery one absorbing purpose occupied my soul the gain freedom deficit and deliverance from the cruel caprices and fortunes of dissolute tyrants because of Henson's management skills he and his family were initially allowed to stay together two years later however his time had come the only option escaped a major obstacle was the Fugitive Slave Act of 1793 which meant he and his family could be captured even in a free state so he set his sights on Canada it was a 600 mile journey that he would have to make on foot with his wife and four children traveling by night sleeping by day super dangerous but he knows he's got to go to Canada it's the only place that he can truly be a free man his wife made a sling for Josiah to carry the two youngest children on his back with only the North Star as their guide the Henson family began their journey after 40 grueling days they arrived at Lake Erie just across the water from Canada a sympathetic ship captain offered to take them the rest of the way he put his hand on my head and said be a good fellow won't you I felt streams of emotion running down in electric courses from head to foot yes said I I would use my freedom well Henson helped start a black settlement in Ontario including a multiracial school almost unheard of at the time to raise money and awareness he preached throughout the United States and England where he granted a private audience with Queen Victoria during those years he risked his life to help a total of 118 slaves retreat him in Canada he's an inspiration for me personally and I hope for many people as they hear this story to use our freedom well right to use our resources our time our money our energy our voice our influence to use it on behalf of those with less than us near the end of his life Josiah Henson returned to the plantation he once managed although many of his experiences here were unimaginably painful he could see God's hand in them later riding sharp flashes of lightning come from black clouds John Jessup CBN News reporting in Rockville Maryland you

Channel: CBN News

Views: 443,114

Keywords: slaveholders, southern, slave masters, south, cbn news, church, plantation owners, america, harriet beecher stowe, slavery, civil war, 19th century, cbnnews.com, slaves, christ, cbn news youtube, dawn goeb, history, john jessup, uncle tom, plantations, savior, rev_captions, josiah henson, jesus, uncle tom's cabin, cbnnewsyoutube, god, novel, 5999721089001

Id: -CoO7KGXlCE

Length: 7min 23sec (443 seconds)

Published: Thu Feb 07 2019