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!!