Fugitive Slave Advertisement
Dublin Core
Title
Fugitive Slave Advertisement
Description
This runaway advertisement reveals one of the most common forms of resistance among enslaved Black folks in colonial Canada: flight. While there are countless records of messages like this one posted in newspapers by slave owners, exposing the frequency of such an occurrence, the act itself remained extremely risky for the fugitive and anyone helping them. As such, enslaved Black Canadians rarely fled without knowing where to go: their attempts often depended on maritime networks, passage through free communities, the help of white abolitionists, and, later, the migration routes used by Loyalists.
The casual tone of the advertisement, treating the fugitive girl “Thursday” like nothing more than a pet or an object gone missing, discloses the lack of worry in slave owners, their lack of shame, and their confidence in the community’s ability to catch runaways. Although Thursday would eventually be captured and sent back to her owner, this ad demonstrates that Black Canadians were never passive victims of their own fates: they resisted even when the destination was uncertain, and the consequences severe.
The casual tone of the advertisement, treating the fugitive girl “Thursday” like nothing more than a pet or an object gone missing, discloses the lack of worry in slave owners, their lack of shame, and their confidence in the community’s ability to catch runaways. Although Thursday would eventually be captured and sent back to her owner, this ad demonstrates that Black Canadians were never passive victims of their own fates: they resisted even when the destination was uncertain, and the consequences severe.
Creator
John Rock
Source
Nova Scotia Archives. “Fugitive Slave Advertisement,” September 1, 1772. https://archives.novascotia.ca/africanns/archives/?ID=10.
Publisher
Nova Scotia Archives
Date
1 September 1772
Rights
Public Domain
Type
Newspaper Clipping
Files
Citation
John Rock, “Fugitive Slave Advertisement,” Black Canadian History Exhibit, accessed December 5, 2025, http://omeka.uottawa.ca/mathieu-black-canadian-history-exhibit/items/show/423.