The Fugitive Slave Law and Its Victims (1856)

The Fugitive Slave Law and Its Victims (1856)

Author: Samuel May

Year: 1856

May, Samuel. The Fugitive Slave Law and Its Victims . Anti-Slavery Society [New York], 1856. Text Analysis Historical Context This book was published in 1856, in the tense decade leading up to the U.S. Civil War. The Fugitive Slave Act of 1850, part of the Compromise of 1850, required that enslaved people who escaped to free states be returned to their enslavers—even if they had lived freely for years. It also penalized individuals who helped fugitives. The law enraged abolitionists, threatened free Black communities, and increased sectional tensions. The publication reflects how the Northern abolitionist movement used documentation and testimony to expose the cruelty and injustice of the law. Core Issues Presented The text challenges the legal and moral foundations of the Fugitive Slave Law. It exposes the human toll of a law that prioritized property rights over human rights. Key issues include states’ rights versus federal authority, due process, racial injustice, and civil disobedience. The book defends the humanity of fugitive slaves and condemns the government’s complicity in enforcing slavery. Contemporary Viewpoints (at Time of Publication) Supporters of the Fugitive Slave