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moses grandy
Moses Grandy was a formerly enslaved ancestor who was born in Camden County, North Carolina around 1786, and ancestor of Eric 'Mubita' Sheppard. Moses had his life story documented in an 1843 slave narrative entitled, The Life of Moses Grandy; Late a Slave in the United States of America, by the British & Foreign Anti-Slavery Society (known today as Anti-Slavery International) in London, England. After paying for his freedom THREE (3) times, Moses was finally freed circa 1830, prior to the Nat Turner rebellion insurrection. He eventually purchased the freedom of his wife, son and other Grandy family members with the proceeds from the slave narrative sales and his European speaking tour.
In June 2020, Mubita LLC adapted the Moses Grandy slave narrative into an audiobook called Moses Grandy Legacy Lives. The audiobook is a great primary source for anyone who wants to learn more about Moses' freedom story and life being enslaved around the Great Dismal Swamp area of NC and VA. Click the link to learn more about the story and how to download it from our website.
The narrative is the story of tragedy, triumph, perseverance, family and entrepreneurship, while exposing the complexity of slavery and race relations in America. This is a must read for all Americans and people globally. Historians have said that Moses Grandy's slave narrative is the only known firsthand written account of how enslaved and freed Africans hand dug the 22-mile long historic Dismal Swamp Canal between North Carolina and Virginia, in the Great Dismal Swamp. The Great Dismal Swamp became a refuge for enslaved people (Maroons) escaping the surrounding plantations. In 2003, the Great Dismal Swamp and Canal were designated as an official Underground Railroad (UGRR) site by the U.S. Department of the Interior National Park Service’s "Network to Freedom" Program.
In June 2020, Mubita LLC adapted the Moses Grandy slave narrative into an audiobook called Moses Grandy Legacy Lives. The audiobook is a great primary source for anyone who wants to learn more about Moses' freedom story and life being enslaved around the Great Dismal Swamp area of NC and VA. Click the link to learn more about the story and how to download it from our website.
The narrative is the story of tragedy, triumph, perseverance, family and entrepreneurship, while exposing the complexity of slavery and race relations in America. This is a must read for all Americans and people globally. Historians have said that Moses Grandy's slave narrative is the only known firsthand written account of how enslaved and freed Africans hand dug the 22-mile long historic Dismal Swamp Canal between North Carolina and Virginia, in the Great Dismal Swamp. The Great Dismal Swamp became a refuge for enslaved people (Maroons) escaping the surrounding plantations. In 2003, the Great Dismal Swamp and Canal were designated as an official Underground Railroad (UGRR) site by the U.S. Department of the Interior National Park Service’s "Network to Freedom" Program.
The audiobook
The audiobook and written slave narrative are extremely relevant to America's history of slavery, in particular VA and NC. The British & Foreign Anti-Slavery Society in London, England published Grandy's slave narrative in 1843. However, there was also a reprint published in 1844 in Boston, MA, as well. The audiobook is just 78 minutes, and it comes in an easy format for listerners of all ages. Recommended listener age is 10 years and older. HIstorians have said that Grandy's slave narrative is the only known first-hand account of enslaved life for African Americans who hand dug the Dismal Swamp Canal, an Underground Railroad (UGRR) historical landmark that spans 22-miles between NC and VA. The Canal is also the only official UGRR site that crosses over two states. The Dismal Swamp Canal and the DRS UGRR tour are certified by the National Underground Railroad "Network to Freedom" program through the National Park Service.
If you are a primary or secondary educator (K-12), the audiobook and the written resources pair well together as a primary source learning document, offering a mixed media approach to history. DRS can create a digital download agreement with a unique code for your students to easily download the audiobook. DRS has additional educator services, including professional development training, and Educator's Guide to assist with lesson planning, consultation services and an optional Underground Railroad (UGRR) field trip to the Great Dismal Swamp and Canal areas where Moses lived and worked (Call for more information on optional UGRR field trip). Other suggested listening audiences:-Higher education history or literature classes (community college or 4-year colleges and universities)-History clubs-Book clubs-Youth groups-Youth mentoring programs-Church groups
* Note: If you are an educator in Virginia, New Jersey or Rhode Island, our audiobook can be used as a resource to teach your state-mandated African American history courses.
We hope you enjoy your listening experience. We encourage you to share this website with family, friends and colleagues, so that they can learn more about our collective history. Every person in America and around the world should know the story behind Moses Grandy's enslavement and freedom struggles. Moses' story is OUR story, and we can use Grandy's story so that WE CAN HEAL TOGETHER.
If you are interested in the audiobook and/or our educator services, please contact Eric Sheppard at (757) 395-0768 or email info@Mubita.net for pricing.
* Note: If you are an educator in Virginia, New Jersey or Rhode Island, our audiobook can be used as a resource to teach your state-mandated African American history courses.
We hope you enjoy your listening experience. We encourage you to share this website with family, friends and colleagues, so that they can learn more about our collective history. Every person in America and around the world should know the story behind Moses Grandy's enslavement and freedom struggles. Moses' story is OUR story, and we can use Grandy's story so that WE CAN HEAL TOGETHER.
If you are interested in the audiobook and/or our educator services, please contact Eric Sheppard at (757) 395-0768 or email info@Mubita.net for pricing.