The Resurrection of Henry “Box” Brown at Philadelphia Henry Brown escaped enslavement in Virginia in March 1849 by having himself shipped to Philadelphia in a crate. One of the most innovative means of gaining freedom, it required substantial assistance from supporters in Richmond and Philadelphia. This 1850 lithograph popularized Brown’s escape, furthering his career as a lecturer but making it difficult for other slaves to replicate his strategy.
Library of Congress, LC-DIG-pga-04518