THOMAS SIMS’S DEFIANCE DEATH OVER SLAVERY

In 1850, the United States Congress and the President approved the Fugitive Slave Act. This law in essence made every white citizen of this nation responsible for ensuring that every escaped slave be returned as property to his/her slave owners. The key word is that slaves weren’t human there were property with no inalienable rights to fight this unjust national edict. The following year in the city of Boston, many white and free black Bostonians rejected this law. However, in the eyes of the court the law was the law, any captive fugitive slave must be returned to his owner. One such escaped slave was Thomas Sims. As he pleaded his case to the courts he made this powerful point. Please, remember that our history is America’s history and every participant in that story has a right to have their history told.

THE WAR BEFORE THE WAR
FUGITIVE SLAVES AND THE STRUGGLE FOR AMERICA’S SOUL
FROM THE REVOLUTION TO THE CIVIL WAR