A major episode in African-American history, along with John Brown’s raid, was the Fugitive Slave Rebellion in Christiana. This event was a harbinger of the Civil War. Frederick Douglass referred to the Christiana Riot as “… the battle for liberty.”

On September 11, 1851, a Maryland slaveowner named Edward Gorsuch made his way before dawn to the village of Christiana along with a U.S. Marshall and deputies with the expectation of capturing his runaway slaves. A violent and brutal conflict broke out that sent shock waves across the nation.

An historical resource page about the Underground Railroad in Lancaster County including curriculum information is available at the Lancaster County Historical Society. A resource page specific to information on the Christiana Resistance is here.

William Parker wrote about his experience in the February, 1866 issue of the Atlantic Monthly. You can read his entire account here:

THE FREEDMAN'S STORY

The library has reproductions of this Atlantic Monthly publication available for sale.

You can learn more about our local history at the Christiana Historical Society’s webpage.

Books About the Riot

The following books are in our collection:

Forbes, David R. A True Story of the Christiana Riot, Quarryville Sun, 1898 (generously donated by Mr. Jerry Bower, Quarryville, PA)

Forbes, Ella But We Have No Country: The 1851 Christiana, Pennsylvania Resistance, Africana Homestead Legacy, 1998

Slaughter, Thomas P. Bloody Dawn: The Christiana Riot and Racial Violence in the Antebellum North, Oxford University Press, 1991 

Rosenburg, John M. William Parker: Rebel Without Rights, Millbrook Press, 1996 

Hensel, William Uhler The Christiana Riot and the Treason Trials of 1851: An Historical Sketch, New Era Printing, 1911 

Jackson, Arthur W. History of the Trial of Castner Hanway and Others for Treason at Philadelphia in November, 1851, Uriah Hunt & Sons, 1852 (copy) 

Bacon, Margaret Hope Rebellion at Christiana, Crown Publishers 1975 

Katz, Jonathan Resistance at Christiana, Crowell, 1974 

Still, William The Underground Railroad: A Record of Facts, Authentic Narratives, Letters, etc., Arno Press 1968 reprint of Porter & Coates 1872 

McClure, Alexander K. Recollections of Half a Century, The Salem Press Co. 1902

Related books available for sale at the Library:

Kendall, Harry W. Truth Crushed to Earth, Morris Publishing, 1999 

Rettew, LaVerne D. A Charge of Treason or A Fight For Freedom, locally published, 2000 

Related books available at Amazon.com: 

Slaughter, Thomas P. Bloody Dawn: The Christiana Riot and Racial Violence in the Antebellum North 

Rosenburg, John M. William Parker: Rebel Without Rights, Millbrook Press, 1996

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Last modified: January 11, 2010