Dangerfield Newby was a free man – but his wife and children were not. After working hard to earn enough to purchase their freedom, Newby got double-crossed by their enslaver. But that was only the beginning of his story.
In 1859, he helped plan a revolt to free his enslaved family. The raid of Harper’s Ferry in West Virginia would go on to make history, even serving as a precursor to the Civil War. But Newby’s legacy is much more lasting.
In fact, many people believe he STILL lives.How on Earth is this even possible, when the revolt happened centuries ago, and when Newby was the first person killed?
Newby is rumored to remain – as a ghost. During the revolt, plantation owners shot him, stabbed him with rusty knives, and threw his body into an alley, where he was eaten by hogs. Newby’s ghost is said to haunt “Hog Alley,” still trying to free his family.
Newby, the ghost of Hog Alley, is a horrific story, but it also reminds us that our fight for freedom has continued through the ages, changing and shifting over time. But liberation is within our reach so let’s ghost the thought of ever giving up.