The True Story of Ellen & William Craft, Fugitive Slaves By: Florence B. Freedman

Mrs. Felecia Prince

Tylertown Elementary School

Tylertown, MS 4th Grade

“Two Tickets to Freedom”

Two Tickets To Freedom

Characters: Ellen, William, the guard, the train conductor , and

others

Setting: In winter (Dec. 24, 1848) on a train and ferry boat in

Virginia, Washington D.C., and Philadelphia.

Solution: William and Ellen escape to freedom by planning a

daring adventure.

Conflict/Problem:

William and Ellen are slaves.

Story Elements Web

A BIOGRAPHY…

Written about the life of a real person.

Contains important information about the

person’s life.

Focuses on the important

events.

Usually told in sequential

order.

The story contains details about how the person talks, feels, and thinks.

Background Information:

Ellen was the daughter of a white man and his black slave. Her mixed blood gave her light skin, but she was sold just like any other slave.

William and Ellen worked for the same white family and were allowed to get married.

Ellen Craft

Ellen disguised herslf as a white man. Ellen disguised as

“Mr. Johnson”

William Craft

• Fugitives: persons who run away

• Sympathetic: showing kind feelings toward others

• Asserted: said firmly

• Abolitionist: a person who wants to end slavery

• Indignantly: with anger

Selection Vocabulary

Boy- the derogatory use of the word “boy” to address an adult African-American man is inappropriate language today

Underground Railroad- not really a train; but an escape route of “safe” houses where fugitive (runaway) slaves could sleep and get food on the long journey walking north to freedom

consoled- to help by calmly talking or comforting

Shan’t- a contraction used in the past for “shall not”

Ferry- a boat that carries vehicles and passengers across a body of water

Other Important Words From the Story

Plot (Chain of Events)William and Ellen,

dressed as “Mr. Johnson”

boarded a train and headed to Baltimore.

William and Ellen,

dressed as “Mr. Johnson”

boarded a train and headed to Baltimore.

An officer stopped them to tell them that it’s

against the rules to

allow any man to take a

slave out of Baltimore.

An officer stopped them to tell them that it’s

against the rules to

allow any man to take a

slave out of Baltimore.

Mr. Johnson (Ellen)

convinced the officer to

allow them to go on.

Mr. Johnson (Ellen)

convinced the officer to

allow them to go on.William falls

asleep. Ellen was

frightened when she could not

find William. She thought that he had

been captured or killed.

William falls asleep. Ellen

was frightened when she could not

find William. She thought that he had

been captured or killed.

She boarded the ferry hoping and

praying that she and

William would find each

other again in freedom.

She boarded the ferry hoping and

praying that she and

William would find each

other again in freedom.

William found Ellen and both were relieved.

After reaching

Philadelphia, they drove a carriage to

the abolitionist’s boarding

house.

William found Ellen and both were relieved.

After reaching

Philadelphia, they drove a carriage to

the abolitionist’s boarding

house.

William and Ellen knelt down and

thanked God for His

goodness in enabling them to overcome many dangers in escaping.

William and Ellen knelt down and

thanked God for His

goodness in enabling them to overcome many dangers in escaping.

William and Ellen are FREE!!!

With liberty With liberty andand

JusticeJusticeFor All…….For All…….

THE END!!