The Film
On June 4, 1844, John W. Jones and four of his companions headed north. They were fugitive slaves who escaped bondage in Leesburg, Virginia.
300 Miles to Freedom chronicles John W Jones’ journey to freedom on the Underground Railroad and his remarkable life as a free man in Elmira, New York.
When John arrived in Elmira, he was a twenty-seven-year-old illiterate with $1.46 in his pocket. He died in 1900, a wealthy, literate, respected member of the community.
The filmmakers traveled Jones’ route to freedom, and tell his story through the voices they meet along the way — historians, ferryboat captains, ministers, farmers and gas station owners.
300 Miles to Freedom celebrates the courage and tenacity of fugitive slaves like John W Jones. The film also celebrates those who quietly stood up to injustice by helping slaves escape on the Underground Railroad and by fighting for their freedom through the Abolitionist Movement.
“….a natural choice for classroom use at all levels of education and for other groups interested in an original discussion of "America in crisis."
- Dr.John Scott Strickland, Associate Professor of History, Syracuse University
