Master Slave Husband Wife: An Epic Journey from Slavery to Freedom

William and Ellen arrive by steamboat in Wilmington, North Carolina. They then take a series of train rides to reach Richmond, Virginia, a state known for more comfortable transport. Ellen is ushered into a special car for women, families, and people with disabilities. Ellen talks to some of the women in the car before resting but soon realizes she has been too friendly. One of the male passengers asks the young Mr. Johnson to visit in the future and call in on his daughters.

In Virginia, William and Ellen are keenly aware that their dangers are not behind them. Some of the enslaved people riding on the train with William are prodded awake and taken to Lumpkin’s Jail, an infamous prison that held enslaved people before auction. While William and Ellen board a new steamer headed toward Washington, DC, one woman accuses Mr. Johnson of stealing William from her. However, once the woman looks closer at William’s face, she realizes she is mistaken.

Once William and Ellen reach Washington, DC, they will have two more trips: a train ride to Baltimore and then another to Philadelphia. One white man observing William grows irate at the quality of William’s hat and causes a commotion over it.