Before the Civil War, free African Americans and fugitive slaves crossed international borders to places like Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean in search of freedom and equality. Beacons of Liberty tells the story of how these bold migrants catalyzed contentious debates over citizenship, racial justice, and national character in the United States. Blending fresh historical analysis with incredible stories of escape and rebellion, Elena K. Abbott shows how the shifting geography of slavery and freedom beyond US borders helped shape the hopes and expectations of black radicals, white...

Examines the American anti-slavery movement through stories of harrowing escape, political grandstanding, and mass migration. Shows how debates over citizenship, equality, and national character in the nineteenth century unfolded on an international stage against the backdrop of free-soil havens in places like Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean.