- [John] When Uncle Tom'sCabin was published in 1852,

the anti-slavery novelflew off the shelves.

17 printing presses ran 24 hours a day

to keep up with the demand,

making it the best-sellingnovel of the 19th century.

- The book struck at ouremotions as a nation,

and it made us see ourselves.

It was our emotional mirror.

And it prompted some individuals

to rethink how they thought of slavery.

- [John] Uncle Tom's Cabinhas been cited as a factor

leading to the Civil War.

When Abraham Lincoln later met the author,

Harriet Beecher Stowe, he reportedly said,

"So you're the littlewoman who wrote the book

"that started this great war?"

in 1852, the backlash wasimmediate and powerful.

- In the South, the book was banned,

and if you were caught selling the book,

you were either going to bekilled or thrown in prison.

There was tremendous fear

that this book would make a difference.

- [John] It did by portraying Uncle Tom

as a dignified, intelligent,God-fearing man.

In the South, however, travelingTom shows became popular,

depicting him as a submissive buffoon

happy in his enslaved condition,

a stereotype that still exists today.

There were also attempts todiscredit Harriet Beecher Stowe.

The author countered witha key to Uncle Tom's Cabin,

and exhaustive bibliographyof the real people

behind her fictional characters,

and included her primaryinspiration for Uncle Tom.

- Josiah Henson was an individual

who demonstrated extraordinary courage.

He tried to help other people,

especially Whites in this country,

to understand the reality of slavery.

- Josiah Henson's story begins here

in Rockville, Maryland on theoutskirts of Washington D.C.

Now, this suburban neighborhood

was once a 570-acre plantation,and the house behind me

is where the owner lived,a man named Isaac Riley.

- In this time period, masterswanted to present themselves

to be very benevolent, thesepatriarchs who cared about

their people that were enslaved.

But the presentation that Henson gives us

was that didn't happen for Isaac Riley.

- [Voiceover] I faithfullyserved Riley for many years.

He was coarse and vulgar in his habits,

and unprincipled and cruelin his general deportment.

- [John] Henson's autobiographyprovides many examples

of Riley's cruelty,

like the day he discovereda book on grammar

hidden in nine-year-old Josiah's cap.

- When Riley saw the book,of course he was outraged

because it was unheard ofthat his enslaved people

would learn to read and write.

- [Voiceover] "Pick upthat book," he cried,

using and awful oath.

At last I was obliged to do it,

when he beat me across the head and back

till my eyes were swollenand I became unconscious.

- [John] Despite the harsh treatment,

Henson proved to be trustworthy.

Eventually elevated tooverseeing the plantation,

he was able to ease the harsh conditions

faced by his fellow slaves.

When he was 18, he waseven allowed to attend

a revival meeting.

Although not permittedto enter the church,

he heard a life-changing message

from preacher John McKinney.

- [Voiceover] He said, "JesusChrist, the Son of God,

"tasted death for every man."

It touched my heart, and I cried out:

"I wonder if Jesus Christ died for me."

Again and again did thepreacher reiterate the words

"for every man."

Oh, the blessedness andsweetness of feeling

that I was loved.

- And that meant a lot tohim, because he knew that God

would always be on his side.

He would deliver him and hewould decide his plan in life.

- [John] The plan includedmoving his family and 18 others

to Isaac Riley's brother'shome in Kentucky.

When they got to Cincinnati,

Henson found his faithfulness tested.

Although Ohio was a FreeState, and many free Black men

encouraged them to stay, he stood firm.

- He felt like he had beentasked with this duty,

and he was gonna fulfill it.

He had taken care ofthem and they felt like

if he wants us to carryalong, we'll go with him.

- [John] Henson came toregret that decision.

Three years after theirarrival in Kentucky,

those who followed himwere put up for auction.

- [Voiceover] Husbands andwives, parents and children,

were to be separated forever.

From that hour I saw through, hated,

and cursed the whole system of slavery.

One absorbing purpose occupied my soul,

to gain freedom,self-assertion, and deliverance

from the cruel caprices andfortunes of dissolute tyrants.

- [John] Because ofHenson's management skills,

he and his family were initially allowed

to stay together.

Two years later, however,his time had come.

The only option: escape.

A major obstacle was theFugitive Slave Act of 1793,

which meant he and hisfamily could be captured

even in a Free State.

So he set his sights on Canada.

- It was a 600-mile journeythat he would have to make

on foot with his wife and four children.

Traveling by night, sleeping by day.

Super dangerous, but he knowshe's got to go to Canada.

It's the only place thathe can truly be a free man.

- [John] His wife made a sling for Josiah

to carry the two youngestchildren on his back.

With only the North Star as their guide,

the Henson family began their journey.

After 40 grueling days,they arrived at Lake Erie

just across the water from Canada.

A sympathetic ship captainoffered to take them

the rest of the way.

- [Voiceover] He put hishand on my head and said,

"Be a good fellow, won't you?"

I felt streams of emotionrunning down in electric courses

from head to foot.

"Yes," said I.

"I'll use my freedom well."

- [John] Henson helped starta Black settlement in Ontario,

including a multi-racial school,

almost unheard of at the time.

To raise money and awareness,

he preached throughout theUnited States and England,

where he was granted a privateaudience with Queen Victoria.

During those years, he riskedhis life to help a total

of 118 slaves reach freedom in Canada.

- He's an inspiration for me personally,

and I hope for many peopleas they hear this story

to use our freedom well.

To use our resources, ourtime, our money, our energy,

our voice, our influence.

To use it on behalf ofthose with less than us.

- Near the end of his life,

Josiah Henson returned to theplantation he once managed.

Although many of his experiences here

were unimaginably painful, hecould see God's hand in them,

later writing, "Sharp flashes of lightning

"come from black clouds."

John Jessup, CBN News, reportingin Rockville, Maryland.