Join us for a free In Conversation event with Clemson professor Dr. Susanna Ashton to discuss her latest book, A Plausible Man, with fellow Clemson professor Dr. Rhondda Thomas.
A Plausible Man: The True Story of the Escaped Slave Who Inspired Uncle Tom’s Cabin unfolds as a historical detective story, as Susanna Ashton combs obscure records for evidence of John Andrew Jackson’s remarkable flight from slavery to freedom, his quest to liberate his enslaved family, and his emergence as an international advocate for abolition. This fresh and original work takes us through the Civil War, Reconstruction, and the restoration of white supremacy—where we last glimpse Jackson losing his freedom again on a Southern chain gang.
“A Plausible Man is a remarkable piece of historical sleuthing and often a riveting read. Ms. Ashton’s tale is enhanced by the inclusion of numerous photos of people and places important in Jackson’s life.” —Wall Street Journal
“A scholarly detective story about a man who would inspire a world-changing book.” —Kirkus Reviews
Susanna Ashton is a Professor of English at Clemson University. An expert on slavery and freedom narratives, she was a Du Bois fellow at Harvard’s Hutchins Center, a fellow with Yale’s Gilder Lehrman Center, and a Fulbright scholar.