Former Slave From Montgomery County Honored In Book

BETHESDA, MD — Montgomery Parks is publishing a biography about Rev. Josiah Henson, a former slave and Underground Railroad conductor from Montgomery County.

Written by Montgomery Parks' Senior Historian Jamie F. Kuhns, "Sharp Flashes of Lightning Come from Black Clouds: The Life of Josiah Henson" is based on Henson's 1849 autobiography and archival materials. Kuhns spent more than a decade researching the abolitionist.

"It began with familiarizing myself with Josiah Henson, which meant reading each of the eight editions of his narrative," Kuhns said. "Prior to coming to Montgomery County, my only knowledge of Henson came from his affiliation with 'Uncle Tom's Cabin.'"

Henson's fight for freedom is said to have inspired Harriet Beecher Stowe's book, "Uncle Tom's Cabin."

In an interview with Patch, Kuhns said his story is "worth elevating to the same level of discussion we extend to Frederick Douglass and Harriet Tubman in our state and national history."

Henson was born into slavery in Charles County, Md. around 1789, according to the Smithsonian. Separated from his father at an early age, Henson and his mother were enslaved on a plantation just off Georgetown Road at what is now Josiah Henson Park.

Henson, who was unable to read until much later in life, became a preacher — memorizing passages to connect with other worshipers, the institution said.

According to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Henson tried to purchase his freedom in 1828, but was swindled out of $350 by his master, Isaac Riley. After he barely escaped being sold to New Orleans, Henson escaped to Canada, where he helped found the Dawn Settlement for runaway slaves. The abolitionist traveled to England several times to raise money for the settlement and was able to meet Queen Victoria in 1877.

Henson died in Dresden, Ontario in 1883. He was 93 years old.

Kuhns' 204-page biography is part of a larger effort by Montgomery Parks' Cultural Resources and Stewardship section toward the creation of a museum and education center at Josiah Henson Park, county officials said.

Josiah Henson Park is located at 11420 Old Georgetown Rd. in North Bethesda. The park is under construction and is scheduled to reopen in the summer of 2020.

Image via Montgomery Parks