Author: andrewdelbanco

“Excellent…stunning.”—Ta-Nehisi CoatesThe devastating story of how fugitive slaves drove the nation to Civil WarA New York Times Notable Book Selection * Winner of the Mark Lynton History Prize* Winner of the Anisfield-Wolf Book Award * A New York Times Critics’ Best Book For decades after its founding, America was really two nations–one slave, one free. There were many reasons why this … nations–one slave, one free. There were many reasons why this composite nation ultimately broke apart, but the fact that enslaved black people repeatedly risked their lives to flee their masters in the South in search of freedom in the North proved that the…