OLDJOHN

Old John is a story of the author's ancestor. Old John was legally a slave, but he had escaped and lived as a free man. John's status was known, but he remained defiantly free. The stories of how he lived, became folk tales in this family and were repeated at family reunions and around kitchen tables for generations. John became such a larger than life figure, that people suffering injustice in a society riddled with injustice, found a hero in him. He stood up against the unfair system of his day. He functioned as a free man, able to enjoy many of the day to day pleasures a free man was allowed. He endured the inconveniences of the "slave" label that was still his plight. Living with his freed wife, he managed to enjoy his life and maintain a sense of humor. A delightful tale and a must read!