Thornton Blackburn facts for kids
Thornton Blackburn (born in 1812, died in 1890) was a brave man who escaped slavery. His important story helped make Canada a safe place for people seeking freedom from slavery in the United States. His case showed that Canada would not send people who had escaped slavery back to their former owners. This made Canada a key destination for the Underground Railroad, a secret network that helped enslaved people find freedom.
Early Life
Thornton Blackburn was born in Mason County, Kentucky. He grew up in Washington, Kentucky, which is now part of Maysville, Kentucky. He was sold to different owners and eventually ended up in Louisville, Kentucky. There, he met his wife, Lucie, who was also known as Ruth or Ruthy.
Escape to Freedom
In 1831, Thornton and Lucie escaped from Louisville and traveled to Michigan. They lived there for two years. But in 1833, people who hunted down escaped slaves from Kentucky found them. Thornton and Lucie were caught and put in jail.
While in jail, they were allowed to have visitors. Lucie used this chance to switch clothes with a friend, Mrs. George French. Lucie then secretly crossed the Detroit River to safety in Amherstburg, in Essex County, Upper Canada (which is now Ontario).
Thornton's escape was much harder because he was heavily guarded and chained. The day before he was supposed to be sent back to Kentucky, the Black community in Detroit protested. About 400 people stormed the jail to free him. During the chaos, two people named Sleepy Polly and Daddy Walker helped Thornton escape. He also made it to safety in Essex County, Upper Canada.
The protest turned into a two-day riot, which was the first race riot in Detroit's history. During the unrest, Thornton's supporters found a horse-cart and took him away from Detroit. A group of people tried to catch him, but Thornton had already gotten off the cart in the wilderness. With help from his rescuers, he went west and south of Detroit. He got on a boat near the River Rouge and crossed the Detroit River into Essex County to join Lucie.
Once in Essex County, Thornton was briefly put in jail. The governor of Michigan asked for him to be sent back. But the Lieutenant-Governor of Upper Canada, Major General Sir John Colborne, said no. He explained that a person could not "steal himself" and that being enslaved for life was too harsh a punishment for any crime. This decision was very important because it set a rule: Canada would not return people who had escaped slavery.
Life in Toronto
Thornton eventually reunited with his wife, Lucie, in the new city of Toronto in 1834. He worked as a waiter at Osgoode Hall. Even though he couldn't read or write, he noticed that Toronto needed a taxi service. He got plans for a cab from Montreal and had one built.
By 1837, he had his own taxi. It was a red and yellow box cab called "The City." It was pulled by one horse and could carry four passengers, with the driver in a box at the front. This cab became the start of a successful taxicab company.
Sometime in the late 1830s, Thornton bravely went back to Kentucky to bring his mother, Sibby, to Toronto. His brother, Alfred, might have already been in Toronto since 1826.
The Blackburns continued to be very active in helping to end slavery and in community activities. They helped build the Little Trinity Church, which is now the oldest church still standing in Toronto. Thornton also took part in a big meeting for free Black people in 1851. He worked with George Brown, a leader who fought against slavery. The Blackburns also helped former enslaved people settle in Toronto and Buxton.
The Blackburns welcomed many African American freedom seekers into their home. This included Ann Maria Jackson and her seven children in 1858. The youngest child, Albert, later became Toronto's first Black postman. When immigrants came to Toronto, many settled in an area called St. John's Ward. The Blackburns built six homes there and rented them out at low prices to former enslaved people.
Thornton died on February 26, 1890. He left behind $18,000 and six properties. He is buried at Toronto's Necropolis Cemetery. Lucie died five years later, on February 6, 1895.
Legacy and Recognition
In 1999, the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada recognized Thornton and Lucie Blackburn as "Persons of National Historic Significance." This means they were very important to Canada's history. They were honored for their personal fight for freedom, which represented many other untold stories. Their situation also led to important legal rules against slavery. They were also recognized for helping Toronto grow, for their kindness to those in need, and for their lifelong fight against slavery. In 2002, special plaques were put up in their honor at their former house in Toronto and in Louisville, Kentucky.
In 1985, archaeologists dug up the foundations of the Blackburns' home. This led to a book about their lives called I've Got a Home in Glory Land: A Lost Tale of the Underground Railroad, written by historian Karolyn Smardz Frost.
In 2015, a mural called "Site Specific" was painted near their old home. It shows the history of the neighborhood and includes the Blackburns' taxi.
In 2016, a conference center at George Brown College in Toronto was named after Thornton and Lucie Blackburn. A mural showing their story has been painted in the building's lobby.
