Novel details the story of the Warwick colony, with ties to Indian Lake
The Logan County History Center will be hosting author Dr. John Swisher for a presentation on his book, “The Price of Freedom in 1848,” at 2 p.m. Sunday, March 27, in the Transportation Museum at 521 E. Columbus Ave., Bellefontaine.
The historical novel is based on the true story of 75 people being held as slaves who were freed by their Quaker owner John Warwick upon his death. Warwick sent emissaries north to find land for him to purchase and give to his slaves. The land Warwick obtained was near present-day Indian Lake in Logan County. However, there is much more to this story.
One of the central themes of “The Price of Freedom in 1848” is that the laws passed were designed to suppress slaves by keeping them from reading, meeting, defending themselves, getting married and holding families together.
“People drawn to the history of slavery, prejudice, and the Civil War will find this book and Dr. Swisher’s presentation quite interesting,” History Center representatives said. “The story behind the book and Dr. Swisher’s research is equally fascinating.”
Dr. Swisher is a founding member of the National Museum of African American History and Culture and is a member of National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.
Through his professional and personal experiences, he has completed of research for this book, including interviews with a descendant of one of those freed people. Dr. Swisher taught high school before getting his doctorate at the Ohio State University. He has taught in the Education Departments at Temple University and Penn State University. He is now Professor Emeritus of Education at Penn State University.
We hope you will attend this program and learn more about this important aspect of Logan County and American history.
If you have any questions, please call the History Center at (937) 593-7557 or e-mail at [email protected].