This upcoming film tells the story of Henry “Box” Brown, an African American born into slavery in 1816 in Louisa County, Virginia. Although he was not subjected to physical violence, Henry’s story (the basis for One Noble Journey) demonstrates the cruelty of slavery was every bit as devastating to the heart as it could be on the body.
At the death of his master, Henry’s family was torn apart and parceled out to various beneficiaries of the estate. Henry, who was 33 at the time, was bequeathed to his master’s son and sent to work in Richmond, VA. While there, he experienced the joys of marriage and children, only to have slavery lash his heart again. Henry’s wife and children were taken from him, sold to North Carolina slaveholders and never seen again.
This devastating incident marked Brown’s breaking point; in response, he devised an ingenious escape plan, sealing himself in a wooden box that was shipped to friends – and freedom – in Philadelphia. Eventually, he traveled the northern states telling his tale of liberation to abolitionist groups.
