Canadian Race Relations Foundation

The author Barbara Greenwood in her illustrated book, goes back to the year 1856 during the time of the Underground Railroad. The story focuses attention on two families, the Jacksons who are fleeing from the southern United States, and the Reids who live in St. Catherines (now Ontario-then Canada West) and helps many families fleeing slavery find new dwelling in Canada. The families in Greenwoods book are fictional with factual background information on the Underground Railroad and Canadian communities that helped hundreds of families flee oppression from the south.

The underground Railroad had manu routes. All led as directly as possible from the slave-holding states of the southern United States to the closest free territory. After 1850, escaping slaves had to go all the way to Canada. That meant weeks, sometimes months, of walking. (p. 18).

In 1853, a young boy was grabbed by slave catchers on the streets of Chamtham, Canada West (now Ontario). Black journalist Mary Ann Shadd heard his cries, snatched him from the kidnappers and ran with him to the courthouse, where she rang the bell to alert the townfolk. When people realized what was happening, they chased the kidnappers out of town. (p. 88).