Josiah Henson is held in high regard in both Black Canadian and American history, despite being somewhat of a sellout. Born into enslavement in America, he was known on the plantation as a hard worker, and trustworthy. For this reason, he was able to work both on and off the property. He would often leave by himself, and for a long time made no attempt to run away. At one point, he even bartered his freedom with his enslaver, in exchange for helping over a dozen Black folks remain enslaved. During the latter part of his life, it becomes clear that he worked overtime in an attempt to make up for his previous harmful actions. Yet, despite his best efforts, he became the sole inspiration for the Uncle Tom stereotype. In this episode we dive into who Josiah Henson was, his life's work, a bit about the Dawn Settlement, as well the origins of the Uncle Tom stereotype, before rounding out with my thoughts as always.
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