Ellen Craft, a notable African American woman who lived during the 19th century, was born in 1826 into slavery in Georgia, USA. During her childhood, something significant and traumatic happened to her mother. Ellen's mother, whose name was Maria, was enslaved along with her family on a plantation. However, when Ellen was about 11 years old, Maria and her family were sold to different slaveholders.
This separation from her mother was a heartbreaking and devastating experience for young Ellen Craft. It was a stark illustration of the cruel and inhumane realities of the institution of slavery, which often tore families apart through forced sales and separations. Ellen's experience as a child likely played a role in her determination to escape from slavery as an adult, which she successfully achieved with her husband William Craft in one of the most daring and ingenious escapes in American history. Together, they posed as a white man and his enslaved servant, using deception and disguise to make their way to freedom in the North. Ellen Craft's life story serves as a powerful example of resilience and courage in the face of the harsh injustices of slavery.