Investigations

Anti-Slavery Flag

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The Case:

What two Michigan brothers believed was an old sheet in a family trunk may have contributed to the end of slavery in America.

1860: a time of furious national debate and mounting tension. Abolitionists in the North demand unconditional freedom for slaves in the South. Many help slaves escape on the Underground Railroad. At meetings and rallies, black and white abolitionists bring the dispute to a fever pitch, polarizing entire communities, sometimes to the point of violence.

Was this sheet a flag used to campaign for the creation of Free States?

Or was it used as propaganda in a pivotal pre-Civil War campaign?

History Detectives explores the politically charged abolition movement to reveal the surprising past of this family and their flag.

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Aired:
Season 2, Episode 3

Detective:
Tukufu Zuberi Detective:
Wes Cowan Location:
Rockford, Michigan

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