How Ellen and William Craft Outsmarted Slavery
Our American Stories
iHeartPodcasts
4.6 • 816 Ratings
🗓️ 20 August 2025
⏱️ 20 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
On this episode of Our American Stories, in 1848, William and Ellen Craft were enslaved in Georgia and knew they could not start a family until they were free. Their escape plan was as risky as it was brilliant. Ellen, who was light-skinned, disguised herself as a wealthy white man traveling with an enslaved servant — her husband, William. Together they moved openly through hostile territory, riding trains and steamships toward the North. Every mile carried the threat of exposure, yet their courage and quick thinking brought them to freedom. Doug Peterson, author of The Vanishing Woman, shares the story.
Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)
Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Transcript
Click on a timestamp to play from that location
| 0:00.0 | This is an I-Heart podcast. |
| 0:14.2 | And we continue with our American stories. |
| 0:18.0 | William and Ellen Kraft knew they could never have children until they were free, |
| 0:22.1 | so they embarked on one of the greatest escapes in the history of the Underground Railroad. |
| 0:27.2 | Here to tell the story is the award-winning author of 96 books, including eight novels, |
| 0:32.4 | historical comic books, and over 40 children's books for the best-selling VeggieTel series. |
| 0:38.7 | Doug Peterson is the author of The Vanishing Woman, the novel about the craft's courageous escape. |
| 0:46.3 | Let's take a listen. |
| 0:49.5 | Ellen's teeth chattered as she pulled the thin blanket around her shoulders. |
| 0:54.2 | She was cold and terrified. |
| 0:56.6 | In the dim glow of a single candle, she sat on a stool and watched her husband, William, |
| 1:01.7 | emerged from the darkness with a pair of scissors in his right hand. |
| 1:06.2 | Are you sure of this? William asked. |
| 1:10.0 | Ellen ran a hand through her long black hair. |
| 1:12.8 | "'Her hair was her glory, her pride. |
| 1:15.3 | "'And without it, she would wear shame upon her head, |
| 1:18.2 | "'but she had no choice. It had to be done. |
| 1:21.1 | "'The Lord would understand. |
| 1:23.3 | "'I'm sure.' |
| 1:24.6 | "'She felt William's hand, a gentle tugging as he took up her hair. |
| 1:29.4 | The first cut, he warned. |
| 1:32.5 | Ellen heard the metallic snip and felt another tug like a fish on the end of a line. |
... |
Please login to see the full transcript.
Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from iHeartPodcasts, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.
Generated transcripts are the property of iHeartPodcasts and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.
Copyright © Tapesearch 2026.