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Henry Bibb
Henry Walton Bibb (born May 10, 1815) was a former slave in Kentucky. He was able to escape, become abolitionist, and then help create the first black Canadian newspaper called Voices of the Fugitives.

Background

Bibb was born in Shelby County, Kentucky to his enslaved mother, Mildred Jackson. His father, the state senator, was a white man named James Bibb. As a child, Bibb never met his father. He knew the name of his father and that his father was a white man. Bibb was raised by his mother on a farm owned by slaveholder, David White. Bibb worked as a laborer to help fund White’s daughter schooling. He worked for White until he was sold to a new owner in Newcastle, Kentucky, a Mr.Vires. The Vires’ family treated Bibb very poorly, motivating Bibbs to plan his escape. Though he received constant abuse, Bibb often escaped, only to be caught and beaten again. Despite his multiple failed attempts, Bibb remained persistent, leading the Vires family to sell Bibb back to his former slave owner, David White. However, Bibb continued his attempts to escape. In 1833, Bibb married a slave woman named Milanda and then in 1940 he had his first child with her named Mary Frances. To better the lives of his wife and child, Bibb attempted to escape, but was caught and sold to a Cherokee Indian. Fleeing again, Bibb went back for his family just to find out that has wife had been sold. He tried multiple times to rescue his wife and daughter, but would get caught every time. In the end he gave up on rescuing his wife and daughter. He remarried a woman named Mary Elizabeth Miles in 1848.

Career

After relocating to Detroit, Bibb began his journey as a abolitionist by joining the anti-slavery movement. He also lectured classes on slavery, telling his audience that Canada should remain a haven for formerly enslaved people. Bibb created a autobiography in 1849 called the Narrative of the Life and Adventures of Henry Bibb, an American Slave, Written by Himself. In 1851, he founded Canada's first black newspaper called The Voice of the People. The newspaper aided in his position as a abolitionist because it became a way for him to help provide information on the Underground Railroads for slaves who were attempting to escape. His writing helped guide slaves to want a better life and gave them hope that Canada was their way out of slavery. Through his newspapers, he was able to reconnect with his mother and three brothers, earning enough money to free all of them. The newspaper stopped publication in 1853 after being burned down from a fire. Although faced with this tragedy, he continued to write one page newsletters. This setback didn't halt his career, he still worked as an abolitionist alongside his wife Mary. Together they established the Refugee Home Society where they managed the society and its funds. The goal of the camp was to help fugitives and provide them with a place to stay after escaping their slave owners. The refugee camps became settlements totaling 2,000 acres in Sandwich and Maidstone Township. After helping free slaves, Bibb would urge them to move to Canada because he believed it was a safe place for African Americans. Bibb continued to advance in his career by being elected president of the North American Convention of Colored People, working against the Fugitive Slave Act by forming a society that unites free slaves, and leading campaigns to persuade fugitive slaves and free African Americans to settle in Canada.

Personal Life and Death

In 1833, he married his first wife named Milanda and had a baby with her in 1840. He ended up getting remarried after his previous wife was sold as a mistress. He married again in 1848 to Mary Elizabeth Miles. He was married to Miles until his death on August 1st 1854. He died suddenly at the age of 39 from an illness. After his death, Mary remarried to Isaac N. Cary. She later died in 1877.

Legacy

After his death, exhibits have been created so that people can gain knowledge on who Henry Bibb was and how he impacted the abolitionist movement.

Newspaper: Voice of the Fugitive

The Voice of the Fugitive is the first black newspaper created in Windsor, Ontario. The paper was first published in 1851 and ended in 1853, after a fire burnt the building down. The main purpose of the newspaper was to help guide slaves to freedom and help them find their lost family. The paper would broadcast Canada as a safe place for fugitive slaves to escape to. The paper was also a key tool to communicate with other Underground Railroad members to develop safe plans to escape. The contents of the paper included poetry, news from around the world, and stories of slaves and fugitive slaves from throughout North America. Bibb and his wife were able to fund the newspaper because of the support they got from agents in the U.S. and Canada who would collect the money they got from subscribers. To be subscribe to their newspaper, you had to pay a dollar a year. After the newspaper ended, Bibb continued to write papers, but was never successful in creating another newspaper like The Voice of the Fugitive.