Detroit Mercy’s Love Stories from the Underground Railroad celebrated its 11th year of delivering inspiring stories that capture the juxtaposition of romantic love with the unspeakable injustices and oppression of slavery. This annual event weaves Black History Month together with Valentine’s Day. This year’s love story was brought to life through the work of author Ilyon Woo, through her latest book Master Slave, Husband Wife: An Epic Journey from Slavery to Freedom (2023).
Woo spoke to the audience of University alumni, faculty, staff and community members about a love story of her own, falling in love with Ellen and William Craft when she read their book,1000 Miles to Freedom as an undergraduate. Her curiosity fueled research that created a storyline of understanding the times and the people through the lens of love despite the reprehensible time in which they lived when buying and selling of human beings and separation of families was commonplace.
The author even met the great granddaughter of the Crafts who carried the family story and serves as a voice of activism.
One community member, who has been to at least six Love Stories events remarked, that the presentation was so valuable that the entire community should hear it given how difficult it can be for people to talk about slavery. The author created a way to engage everyone present in understanding such a devastating aspect of this nation’s history by centering on the binding human desire for love.
