Resurrection of Henry Box Brown

Art Historical Context

In the Smithsonian American Art Museum's collection, 1872 print *Resurrection of Henry Box* captures a dramatic moment of triumph and liberation. Created by an unidentified artist, evocative work depicts the famed abolitionist Henry Box Brown emerging from the small wooden crate in which he had mailed himself to freedom in 1849. Surrounding figures—abolitionists like James Miller McKim, William, and Lewis Thompson—wield a hatchet and saw to pry open the box, their faces alight with relief and joy. Other details, such as Brown's stylish attire, eyeglasses, and cane, portray him not just as a su...