In 1849, James W.C. Pennington, a former slave who had escaped from Maryland in 1827, published 'The Fugitive Blacksmith; or, Events in the History of James W.C. Pennington, Pastor of a Presbyterian Church, New York, Formerly a Slave in the State of Maryland, United States.' This slave narrative, which detailed his brutal treatment, escape, and subsequent career as a minister and abolitionist, was one of the first to address the moral and intellectual capabilities of Black people. Pennington's book was widely read in both the United States and Britain, where he lectured extensively on the horrors of slavery.

Pennington's narrative is a classic of the slave narrative genre, characterized by its eloquent prose and philosophical reflections on freedom and justice. His work influenced later narratives, including those of Frederick Douglass and Harriet Jacobs. The book's international circulation helped galvanize British abolitionist sentiment and remains an important literary testament to the resilience of the human spirit.