Fugitive Slave Law of 1851

This is a picture of a man named Anthony Burns. He ran away from his owner in 1854 and was caught by the police. He was about to be shipped off to the plantation but a black church collected $1500.00 and payed for his freedom.



This slave law from 1851 states that slaves
have to be returned to their owners.

This is a picture of a slave who was hung from a tree because he ran away from his owner. This is what happened to some African Americans who ran away from their owners.

















The man Tom in this ad ran away from his owner.
If you capture him and bring him back you will get $150.00.

















This picture shows a group of slaves trying to escape from their owner.
Two of the slaves have been injured.

Isaac Sprints' Artists Statement

In 1851 the Fugitive Slave Act was written. The Fugitive Slave Act says that all slaves, even if they are free now, had to be sent back to their owners. Many white people were affected because they needed to decide if they were going to help the slaves and break the law or turn slaves in to the police. This act also affected many black free people because in court they could not defend themselves. Because they could not defend themselves they were turned in to their original owners.

If you broke the rules of the Fugitive Slave Act you had to pay the price. A prison sentence of six months and $1000 fine occurred when if you helped a slave by feeding them or hiding them. If the police found a slave then as a reward the police would get a raise in their pay. Slaves could pay their way out of slavery or their owners could let them free.

Dread Scott who brought his case to court ended the Fugitive Slave Act. It took four years of pleading in court to end the Fugitive Slave Act. In 1863 the Emancipation Proclamation signed to free all slaves.