MACON, Ga. — This report has been contributed by Tyler Jones, a student from Mercer University’s Center for Collaborative Journalism.
Macon is rich with Black history, but these two figures have transcended to national history.
Ellen and William Craft were two former slaves who made a daring escape to the North during the mid-1800s. Their story begins with Ellen working and living with her half-sister, Eliza Smith Collins, and her husband.
During her time with Eliza, Ellen met former slave William Craft. After falling in love and marrying, the Crafts decided to plan their escape from slavery.
Tubman Museum's director of exhibitions, Jeff Bruce, says, "What they decided to do was to dress Ellen as a young white planter."
With Ellen being biracial because her father was her former owner, she was light-skinned and therefore white-passing. Her disguise in order to pass as a white man was meticulous.
“They cut her hair short, they wrapped her head in a handkerchief to hide the fact that she didn’t have facial hair. They put her arm in a sling -- that was to make it impossible for her to sign any documents because neither one of them could read or write,” said Bruce.
In Dec. 1848, four days before Christmas, they made their escape. Their route included taking a steamer and train before reaching Philadelphia on Christmas Day.
Despite the Crafts reaching the North where slavery was banned, they still weren’t safe from persecution as slave catchers were sent after them a few years later.
The Crafts later relocated to England for 19 years before returning to the South after amendments granted emancipation passed.
“They have become symbols of bravery, optimism and overcoming obstacles," said Bruce.
To learn more about the Crafts and Black history, the Tubman Museum is open Tuesday-Sunday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Cherry Street in downtown Macon.