300 Miles to Freedom

Gr 7 Up—John W. Jones was a fugitive slave who escaped bondage in 1884. The filmmakers travelled Jones's route on the Underground Railroad from Leesburg, Virginia, to freedom in Elmira, New York. His story is told through a combination of narration, testimony from historians and current local residents, and readings from Jones's own recollections that he compiled after his escape when he learned to read and write. Jones was determined to escape from slavery when his kind mistress was ailing and he feared the uncertainty of his own future. He had learned of the Underground Railroad from his grandmother, who encouraged him to seek freedom. Although this story has limited coverage about the abolitionist network, it chronicles the life of this remarkable man. Historians speculate that he was assisted by sympathizers along the way. When Jones reached Elmira, he was helped by Jervis Langdon, Mark Twain's father-in-law. As Jones became established in Elmira, he helped over 800 people escape slavery. This story of emancipation is uplifting and informative.—Ann Weber, Bellarmine College Prep., San Jose, CA