William Craft (1824-1900)

Summary Label

Self-Emancipated abolitionist and author in the United Kingdom.

William Craft was born into slavery in Macon, Georgia in 1824. In 1848, along with his wife Ellen Craft, William escaped from slavery and traveled to the North eventually arriving in Boston. He eventually moved to Great Britain with his wife where they became involved with the abolitionists by writing a book on their escape.

Title

William Craft (1824-1900)

Date of Birth

September, 25, 1824

Date of Death

January, 29, 1900

gender

Male

Hometown or Region

Macon, Georgia

Freedom Status

Transition

Occupation

Cabinetmaker

Biography

William Craft was born in Macon, Georgia in the year 1824. At the time of his birth and until his escape, William Craft was a slave. In Macon, William worked as a carpenter. William Craft escaped along with his wife Ellen Craft to freedom in the North and then became an important member of the abolition movement. After reaching Boston in 1848, William Craft and his wife worked with other abolitionists of the time. Through the abolition movement, William and Ellen Craft became close with and worked with other abolitionists such as William Lloyd Garrison and William Wells Brown. After staying in Boston for a brief period, William Craft and his wife decided it would be best to move to Great Britain out of safety and to spread their story. After arriving in Great Britain, it was there that William wrote the book Running a Thousand Miles for Freedom; Or, The Escape of William and Ellen Craft from Slavery. This book provided in great detail the escape of William and his wife, and also showed the horrors of slavery in the southern United States. After the book was written, William and his wife toured Great Britain telling their story of escape from slavery. After the Civil War, William and his wife moved back to Georgia where they founded a school for newly freed slaves. However, William Craft would later pass away in Georgia at the age of 75 on January 29th, 1900. William had outlived his wife at the time of his passing.

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Connected Historical Actor(s)

Ellen Craft (1826-1891)

Student Researcher

John Thomas Carter