My name is James Williams. I was born in 1825 in Elkton, Maryland. My mother was a slave, so I was a slave. I was born in the house of William Hollingsworth, my master.

When I was ten years old I was a house-boy. I had to stand at the table and brush off the flies while the guests were dining. My master and others would be talking about the slaves and what they could get for them.

One of them turned his head and said, “Tom, you must never run away. Bad boys are the only ones that run away. When their master gets them he will sell them to Georgia where they will bore holes in your ears and plow you like a horse.”

They said this to scare me, thinking I would believe them. Seeing the difference between freedom and slavery, I made up my mind that when I was old enough I would run away.

Read this true story of how James Williams escaped from slavery alone, when he was just a boy of thirteen.

Educational Versions have activities added to meet Common Core Curriculum Standards.

Ages 7 to 10.

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