
A well-known nineteenth-century abolitionist and former slave, William Wells Brown was a prolific writer and lecturer who captivated audiences with readings of his drama The Escape; or, a Leap for Freedom (1858). The first published play by an African American writer,...

At the age of 20, William Wells Brown escaped a life of slavery and found freedom on the banks of the Ohio River. He became an ardent abolitionist and a prolific writer. This play, published in 1858, may very well be the first piece of dramatic literature written by an African...


A powerful voice from the antebellum era returns. A drama that speaks across generations, renewed for today's readers. The Escape; Or, A Leap For Freedom casts a searing light on a slave's perilous bid for liberty through a five-act stage of peril, hope, and moral struggle. This...

A well-known nineteenth-century abolitionist and former slave, William Wells Brown was a prolific writer and lecturer who captivated audiences with readings of his drama The Escape; or, a Leap for Freedom (1858). The first published play by an African American writer, The Escape...


"The Escape or a Leap for Freedom" is a captivating novel written by William Wells Brown, a former slave who escaped to freedom in 1834. The novel follows the journey of a slave named Cato who escapes from his master in Kentucky and embarks on a perilous journey to freedom in...

"The Escape or a Leap for Freedom" is a captivating novel written by William Wells Brown, a former slave who escaped to freedom in 1834. The novel follows the journey of a slave named Cato who escapes from his master in Kentucky and embarks on a perilous journey to freedom in...