Click here for a printable copy of the Brown/Hicks letter.
Addressed to: Charles Hicks
Hinsdaleville Bennington town Vermont
Dear Sir
Please receive the Bearer as a friend who needs your aid and direct him on his way if you cannot give him work he come to us well recommended was a slave a few weeks since
Yours tl
Abel Brown
cor Secy of Eastern NY Aslavery
Socy.
Teaching tools
Information
This letter was written in 1842 by Abel Brown to his friend Charles Hicks. It was carried by a fugitive on the underground railroad. Abel Brown asked Charles to either give the fugitive work or send him “on his way.” This letter reveals several pieces of evidence about how the underground railroad worked: some fugitves carried letters of introduction between activists, some activists gave fugitives work, and one “route” was between Albany and Bennington.
Questions
- What was the purpose of this letter?
- How did this letter get to Mr. Hicks?
- What did Mr. Brown want Mr. Hicks to do?
