The Life of Josiah Henson, Formerly a Slave, Now an Inhabitant of Canada by Josiah HensonMy rating: 3 of 5 stars
Josiah Henson (June 15, 1789 – May 5, 1883) was born into slavery in Charles County, Maryland. He escaped to Upper Canada (now Ontario) in 1830, and founded a settlement and laborer's school for other fugitive slaves at Dawn, near Dresden in Kent County. This autobiography is believed to have inspired the title character of Uncle Tom's Cabin which regardless of the truth thereof, it seems to detract from both sides unecessarily. Uncle Tom's tragic tale to highlight the institutionalized violence of salvery is unlike in shape the story of triumph and success lived by Henson. As a matter of fact, I think the (justified) attention to his supposed inspired novel overshadows his actually lived life, suitable for treatment on the big screen, I think!
The biggest connection between "'Siah" and Uncle Tom is more piety than life story. Like Uncle Tom based his acceptance to subjugation on his Christian beliefs, so did Josiah in acting as factotum and agent for his overseers. Henson's reluctance to take an opportunity to escape even furthered the enslavement of some of his fellows and it was only after further injustices, paying for his own manumission, and the threat of being sold "down the river" (Uncle Tom's actual fate) prompted his escape to Canada, community-building, and even travels back to America to inspire others.
Because of the Maryland and Ontario, there is a supposed Uncle Tom's Cabin "Historic" Site in Ontario and in Maryland. I'd like to see a respect paid to this pioneer so that there was worth seen in a Josiah Henson Historic Site in both places, some day.
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