The Ballad of the Fugitive William Parker: A True Tale of Love, Murder, Treason, and Ordinary Folks Who Saved America

by Cristin O'Keefe Aptowicz

For fans of Master Slave Husband Wife and Django Unchained comes the extraordinary forgotten story of an event known in its day as “the first shots of the Civil War,” from the New York Times bestselling author of Dr. Mütter’s Marvels.

The year, 1851. The place, a Quaker farming community turned Underground Railroad stronghold, where a Maryland enslaver had journeyed in pursuit of four men who’d fled his plantation years before. In a few hours, he’d be dead… and twenty-seven men from the village of Christiana would be rounded up and put on trial. Not for his murder, but for treason—for waging war against the United States, at a time when it was a crime against the government to obstruct an enslaver looking to reclaim his ‘property.’

This is story of what happened in Christiana that September morning—and in the ensuing ‘trial of the century,’ which saw the president himself advise the prosecution on strategy and a sitting congressman serve as lead attorney for the defense. But The Ballad of the Fugitive William Parker is also a much larger tale, one spanning decades, following a whole startlingly diverse community of abolitionists in their fight to convince their fellow Americans of the subversive idea that now found itself on that the nation ought to live up the ideals it was founded on, and respect all men as equals.

It’s a story that whisks readers from the quiet farmlands of Lancaster County—where a self-emancipated man named William Parker, whom legend had it bullets could not kill, rallied his neighbors to ride out each night to battle the slavecatchers who stalked their countryside—to Philadelphia’s genteel Society Hill, where socialite Harriet Forten Purvis had the ear of the mayor (and a cellar filled with fugitives). It’s stylish, propulsive, intimately human tale of bravery, ingenuity, and hope—and of ordinary people with little in common who came together to stand against injustice… and won.

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Biography

448 pages, Hardcover

First published September 8, 2026

About the author

Cristin O’Keefe Aptowicz is an American poet who was recently awarded a 2011 National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship in Poetry.

She is the author of five books of poetry, including the recently released Everything is Everthing (Write Bloody Publishing), as well as the canonical slam history, Words in Your Face (Soft Skull Press), which U.S. Poet Laureate Billy Collins wrote “leaves no doubt that the slam poetry scene has achieved legitimacy and taken its rightful place on the map of contemporary literature.”

Founder of the three-time National Poetry Slam Championship venue, NYC-Urbana, Cristin has toured widely with her poetry, at venues as diverse as NYC’s Joe’s Pub, LA’s Largo Theatre and Australia’s Sydney Opera House. Cristin’s poetry books are published on Write Bloody Press, and available at all online & brick-and-order bookstores.

Her poetry has appeared (or is forthcoming) in McSweeney’s Internet Tendencies, Rattle, Pank, Barrelhouse, MonkeyBicycle, decomP, Conduit and La Petite Zine (among others), as well as in anthologies such as Poetry Slam: The Competitive Art of Spoken Word, Learn Then Burn: Modern Poetry For the Classroom, Bowery Women and Word Warriors: 35 Women Leaders in the Spoken Word Revolution (among others).

Reviews

[Zachary Lee]

Ballad of Fugitive William Parker tells the remarkable true story of William Parker, an escaped slave whose determination to protect his family and fight for freedom made him a central figure in one of the most dramatic resistance efforts before the Civil War. I knew very little about Parker before reading this book, so I appreciated learning about an often-overlooked chapter of American history.

The author does an excellent job explaining the events leading up to the Christiana Resistance and the difficult choices Parker and others faced. Rather than portraying history in simple black-and-white terms, the book shows the courage, fear, and sacrifices of those involved. I found myself admiring Parker’s resilience and his unwavering commitment to freedom.

If you enjoy well-researched historical nonfiction that shines a light on lesser-known figures, this is a worthwhile read. It gave me a greater appreciation for the people who risked everything in the fight against slavery.

[Corinne Carson]

While I found this book to be very informative of what slavery was like during the years right before the Civil War, I couldn’t quite stay engaged with the writing. Sometimes I found it to read too much like a book report, which is fine if you like that style, as the author does cite some very good sources. And oftentimes I found it to jump around in subject matter so it was hard for me to keep up. All that being said, if you are a history buff, this is a very important time in the history of America, and there are lots of things that are quite eye opening.

Thank you to NetGalley & Simon & Schuster for the opportunity to read this eARC in exchange for my honest opinions.

[Roslyn Bell]

This was my first read by Cristin O’Keefe Aptowicz, and I got The Ballad of the Fugitive William Parker as an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review of the book. I went in knowing basically nothing except that it was rooted in real history and honestly, the story surprised me in a lot of ways. The book centers on the Christiana Resistance of 1851, an event I somehow never learned about in school, even though it was once called “the first shots of the Civil War.” The plot kicks off when a Maryland enslaver comes to a Quaker community to reclaim four men who escaped his plantation years earlier. Within hours, he’s dead, and twenty‑seven men from the town are arrested, not for murder, but for treason. That alone is wild enough to pull you in. The character dynamics were one of the strongest parts for me. William Parker is such a compelling figure, a self‑emancipated, brave, strategic, and deeply committed to protecting his community. The way he rallies his neighbors to defend themselves against slavecatchers gives the book this almost cinematic tension. Then you have Harriet Forten Purvis in Philadelphia, whose world is completely different but just as vital to the movement. Her social influence, her connections, and her literal cellar full of fugitives add this fascinating contrast to Parker’s rural resistance.
The broader cast of abolitionists, neighbors, politicians, lawyers create a web of relationships that shows how many different kinds of people were involved in fighting slavery. Some of the dynamics are tense, some hopeful, some heartbreaking, but they all feel grounded in real human stakes. Plot wise, the book moves between the Christiana incident, the massive treason trial that follows, and the decades long ripple effects of what happened that morning. It’s part courtroom drama, part historical reconstruction, part character study. The “twist,” if you can call it that, is more about uncovering forgotten history, realizing how much of this story was intentionally buried or minimized over time. The ending lands with a mix of triumph and heaviness. You feel the victory of ordinary people standing up against injustice… but also the cost, the danger, and the way these battles echo through generations. It’s not a neat ending, but it’s a meaningful one. I would love to see this story played out on the big screen. This is such an important story in our history and more should know about it. I loved the book! #netgalley #theballadoffugitivewilliamparker

[Janine]

“The reasonable man must adapt himself to the world, the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself, therefore all progress depends on the unreasonable man” is a great quote from Irish playwright George Bernard Shaw and this is borne out in this true account of a Pennsylvania town, Christiana, being unreasonable to the reasonable in its stance to protect their neighbors against enslavers.

The Christiana Riot of 1851 was a pivotal moment in the abolitionist movement in America. A self-emancipated man, William Parker, garnered his friends and neighbors to a standoff with men seeking to return Parker and others to his enslaver. The enslaver, Edward Gorsuch, a wealthy Maryland plantation owner (and a relative of Supreme Court Justice, Neil Gorsuch) had trailed Parker to his home where he ended up dead and Parker escaping to Canada. The result of the riot led to federal charges for treason against a white man, Isaac Castner Hanway, for refusing to follow a legal warrant under the Fugitive Slave Act and help capture the runaway slaves, because he believed that Black people had the right to defend themselves. Twenty seven other men were indicted as well. To find out what the verdict was you have to read the book.

The book is well researched and gives a lot of detail about the events leading up to and after the Christiana riot. Most interesting to me was that at the end of the Civil War James Gilmore, editor-at-large for the new magazine, The Atlantic, had received a manuscript about Parker’s story. This the perfect place to tell this story as The Atlantic had published “The Battle Hymn of the Republic” and other anti/-slavery articles. Lincoln even noted “a well-placed article in The Atlantic was ‘worth as much to us as a half dozen battles.’”

The book is an easy read as it’s written simply but still feels authoritative in the telling. The author draws parallels with today and seems to be asking what would you do for your neighbors.

I gave this book five stars because it brought to life an event in history that is important to remember - never knew of it until I read the book - and should not be erased; because the event given in the book has a bearing on us today as we witness the sad things white supremacy is doing in our country and because I had a great time reading this book.

My thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for granting me access to this ARC.

[Donna]

The Ballad of the Fugitive William Parker is absolutely riveting! I just could not put it down. I loved the book and learning about the history I never knew, despite living in Lancaster County for most of my life. The author brought all of the actual individuals involved in these events, vividly to life in this book. Cristin O'Keefe Aptowiz has written an amazing, well researched book, based on the true story of the life of William Parker, a self-emancipated slave, who embarked on a treacherous journey north. He hoped, if he could make it to Pennsylvania, he might be able to build his life as a free man. The book recounts not only William's life but also delves into the lives of the prominent Black citizens, abolitionists and Quakers in Pennsylvania at that time, as they came to the aid of slaves like William, who risked their lives for freedom. William was able to build a life in Pennsylvania and continued to work so that other slaves could find freedom. He worked tirelessly on behalf of Underground Railroad. When the Fugitive Slave Act was passed, the work of all of the abolitionists, Free Blacks and former slaves became extremely dangerous. In 1851, a Maryland enslaver sought to reclaim his property of 4 slaves, and the violent encounter resulted in a death, and 27 men being imprisoned. This became known as the Christiana Riots, and it is also considered to be the first shots fired in the Civil War. The author brings the story full circle, to the events at the trial, and William's later life. I would absolutely love to see a miniseries made of this book; it is that good! Thank you to the author, the publisher and Netgalley for my advance copy. The opinions of this review are my own.

[Jazisunray Skillern]

The Ballad of the Fugitive William Parker is a brilliantly rendered, deeply compelling account of a pivotal moment in American history. With vivid storytelling and meticulous research, the narrative plunges readers into the tense atmosphere of 1851 Christiana, where ideals and lives hang in the balance. The book deftly captures not only the dramatic events of that fateful September morning and the sensational “trial of the century,” but also the broader, decades-long struggle to define the soul of a nation.

Through unforgettable characters like the indomitable William Parker and the courageous Harriet Forten Purvis, the story comes alive with energy and heart. The author skillfully weaves together the personal and the political, revealing the courage and conviction of ordinary people who risked everything to resist injustice. Moving from Lancaster’s fields to Philadelphia’s parlors, the book paints a rich portrait of a community bound not by background, but by shared purpose and moral clarity.

What makes this account truly exceptional is its ability to humanize history without sacrificing complexity. The Ballad of the Fugitive William Parker reminds us that the fight for freedom and equality was waged not only by famous leaders, but by everyday men and women who dared to believe in a better future. Stylishly written and driven by a palpable sense of urgency, this is an essential read for anyone interested in the roots of American liberty—and the enduring power of collective action.

Thank you, Cristin O’Keefe Aptowicz, Simon & Schuster, and NetGalley for the ARC.

[Barbara]

This non-fiction story centered on the self-emancipated William Parker and the 1851 Christiana “Riot” reads like a novel in many places and tells the overlooked tale of what some call the first shots in the Civil War. The main thrust of the book focuses on Black resistance to the institution of slavery – with some assistance from white allies, particularly well-known abolitionists, other stationmasters of the Underground Railroad, and peaceable Quakers in their midst in this Pennsylvania town only a dozen miles from the border of Maryland. William Parker himself escaped from his enslavement in Maryland, but the catalyst for what some call the Christiana Riots and others call the Christiana Resistance, was the escape of four slaves from the plantation of wealthy enslaver Edward Gorsuch and his obsession with retrieving his "property", plus the passage of the Fugitive Slave Act.

The prose is mostly superlative and the research meticulous, but the narrative arc stalls in a few places where facts are thick and complicated. Nevertheless, Aptowicz does an admirable job of humanizing the cold facts about the late stages of slavery and the interplay among self-emancipated slaves living in a free state, abolitionists with moral certitude and a mutual objective, brutal slave-catchers and slave owners, and a federal government (and its agents) that entered the compromise meant to save the Union but only divided the people in it even more.

Excellent book that shines light on a part of history mostly overlooked. Four-and-a-half stars, rounded up to five.

Thanks to NetGalley, Simon & Schuster, and Ms. Aptowicz for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.

[Kimberly]

"The Ballad of the Fugitive William Parker" by Cristin O'Keefe Aptowicz is the extraordinary true story of antebellum Pennsylvania and the people, both black and white, who fought against this country's greatest evil, the institution of slavery. I have lived in Pennsylvania all of my life and, though I was aware of its Quaker abolitionists and their role in the Underground Railroad, I had never heard of the self-emancipated William Parker, nor of the prominent Black Philadelphians whose bravery and resources both helped to fund the Abolitionist movement and propelled the country toward the war that would end slavery for good. Not only were the events surrounding the standoff between a Maryland slaver and William Parker at a Lancaster County farm fascinating, the in depth look at the politics of the era made this book an educational and captivating read. This book, once again, shows that the education I received was a whitewashed one and neglected to include some very important Black history (and Black history is all of our history-American history) that occurred mere hours from where I grew up.

Many thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for the privilege of reading an advanced copy of this informative and eye-opening book!

[Charles]

This was an absolutely fascinating book! I thoroughly enjoyed the history and was amazed that I never knew much of it, despite living in Lancaster County for my entire life! The author really brought the characters and their story to life. The book is well researched and very well written, based on the real life and events of the self-emancipated slave, William Parker. William made the treacherous journey north to find freedom in Pennsylvania. With the help of the Quaker community, and the prominent free black community in this area, he was able to build a life and worked with the Underground Railroad. After the Fugitive Slave Act was passed, this work became much more dangerous. A Maryland enslaver came north to reclaim his slaves in this area, which resulted in a violent altercation, and became known as the Christiana Riots. This was also considered the first shots of the Civil War. 27 people were incarcerated. The author continues the story through the trial, and to William's life after the trial. I thoroughly enjoyed the book and the history I was never aware of. My wife did receive an advance copy of the book, and I am very glad that she did! The opinions of this review are my own.

[Liz]

I’m betting this is going to be one of the best nonfiction books of 2026.
The Ballad of the Fugitive William Parker was an excellent retelling about a little known uprising in Christiana, Pennsylvania. A Maryland slave owner crossed the Mason Dixon line looking for four escaped slaves. Within 24 hours, he was dead and 27 men were later arrested for treason. The incident has been called the “first shots of the Civil War”.
Each part was engaging in its own right. First, Aptowicz walks the reader through the political and social situation in Pennsylvania throughout the first half of the 19th Century - the Black community of Philadelphia, the Underground Railroad, the slave catchers, the abolitionist movement and the pro-slavery contingent. It doesn’t just explain the impact of the Fugitive Slave Act but truly impresses the reader with the gut wrenching impact it had on Blacks in the north. Part One was chock full of information but was easy to read. Then, in Part Two, Gorsuch’s attempt to reclaim his “property” and the “riot”, which was finally renamed the Christiana Resistance in 2001 are detailed. And in Part Three, she takes the reader through the escape of William Parker and the treason trial against Castner Hanway, a white man at the scene. At times, it literally read like a novel.
As a transplant to York County, PA (one county west of Lancaster) I was thrilled to learn so much about the area. The area was a mix of anti- and Pro-slavery contingents, but favored the anti-slavery sentiments because of the number of Quakers. I knew a little about Thaddeus Stevens but got the full measure of the man with this book.
This book is literally so compelling I can see Netflix buying up the rights for a mini-series.
My thanks to Netgalley and Simon & Schuster for an advance copy of this book.

[John Gallagher]

While I knew a little about the country's sordid history concerning slavery, this book provided more knowledge of the subject for me. In 1851, the Underground Railroad and the Fugitive Slave Act clashed in the Pennsylvania village of Christiana, as slaveholders from Maryland attempted to re-claim their "property" of 4 escaped slaves. The resulting "riot" of "free" black men and women, escaped slaves, and their white supporters against the slavers and their helpers, led to the death of one of the slavers, the wounding of the others, and the departure from the area of the hunted and other previously escaped slaves. The most prominent of the former slaves was William Parker, whose house was the site of battle between the slavers and their prey. Subsequent to the "riot" 27 men were arrested and tried for treason. Only 3 of those charged were white men, but they were the focus of the prosecution's attempt to convict the group. Many of the others involved in the confrontation, including Parker, escaped to Canada.

This was a well written and well researched book documenting the period from the 1830s to 1850s in the lead up to the Civil War.

[Steven Conger]

The Ballad of the Fugitive William Parker is one of those books that should be required reading in American History classes. I am a Civil War buff, and would consider myself fairly knowledgeable about the subject, but I got schooled by Cristin O'Keefe Aptowicz. Reading and hearing history from a fugitive slaves perspective was eye-opening. I think what I appreciated the most, was learning the real cost to the Compromise of 1850, especially the Fugitive Slave Act.

This is not an easy read! And many people today will want to ignore or suppress it because it does not fit the narrative that one political party is trying to promote. But knowledge is power, and I would argue, freedom, and this book will open your eyes to some of the problems that continue to this day. This book is worth the read!

I finished the book wanting to know even more about William Parker. I am thankful for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book. Thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for this ARC for my unbiased opinion.

[Amy]

I found The Ballad of the Fugitive William Parker by Critin O'Keefe Aptowicz incredibly informative, especially in its portrayal of slavery and the years leading up to the Civil War. There is a lot here that is both eye-opening and important, and I appreciated how thoroughly researched it was.

That said, I struggled a bit with the writing style. At times it felt more like reading a very detailed research paper or book report than a narrative, which made it harder for me to stay fully engaged. The author clearly did an enormous amount of research and cites some excellent sources, but I also found that the book occasionally jumped between people, events, and subjects in a way that made it difficult for me to follow.

Even though the writing style wasn’t quite for me, I’m glad I read it. For anyone who loves American history, particularly the years immediately preceding the Civil War, there is a great deal of valuable and fascinating information here.

Thank you to Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for the eARC. All opinions stated are solely based on my reading experience.

[Teresa]

This one is difficult to review due to my expectations. I was hoping it would have been more like a story being told by William Parker, but this is written like a history book and wow does it have a lot of history to tell. The research was intensive and well done.
I have read several other books on the Underground Railroad, this is clearly one of the best, but this one has so much other information on the Christiana Riot and the unfortunate times in the 1850’s.
This is an extensive read, so many names and things to keep track of. It does end around 65% and the last of the book is research and documentation.
I am giving my rating at 4 stars just because I wanted it told differently in first person instead of a history lesson.
I thank Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC. Comes in with 4 stars.

[Andrea Wenger]

In 1851, the Quaker community of Christiana, outside of Philadelphia, is an Underground Railroad stronghold. It becomes the site of a "trial of the century" when fugitives and abolitionists fight for equality against enslavers and the US government. This story of bravery, ingenuity, and hope spans decades and diverse lives, culminating in a victory against injustice.

This book is particularly meaningful to me because I grew up near Christiana, and the places mentioned are familiar to me. Yet I had no idea this event happened. I'm grateful to the author for telling this revealing story. This uplifting book is fascinating and compassionate, immersing the reader in the experience of these historic events.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

[Jennifer]

This book is a fascinating account of a trial in 1951 of a number of men in Christiana, PA who stood against men coming from Maryland to reclaim fugitive slaves. I had no knowledge of this event before reading the book. But the author quickly captured my attention and set it in the very important framework of the pre civil war atmosphere in Pennsylvania and Maryland.
I found it very compelling reading and recommend it to anyone who wants to understand the history of the USA more. And as often happens when reading history, it gives an interesting perspective on the things we are facing now, which seem just as important as what was being dealt with 150 years ago and now are issues which we have moved far from. Encouraging.

[Deb]

The Ballad of the Fugitive William Parker by Christin O ‘Keefe Aptowicz

I recommend this book for very serious readers of history. There were too many names for me to keep up with. Some people are mentioned throughout the book with reintroductions every time.

There were many things new to me, for example, that the Quakers were very anti-slavery and the role that Lancaster PA played during this epoch of American history. Many people risked their lives with the Underground Railroad and defending escaping slaves. I also didn’t realize that Free slaves could be taken from free states and returned to plantations to cruel slave owners.

William Parker was a very brave man who made a difference in the lives of many. Four stars for the exhaustive research by this author.

[Katie]

The Ballad of William Parker is history writing at it best. I made the mistake of trying to read it at bedtime, but it was so riveting that I couldn’t put it down. At times, it reads like a novel. It is meticulously researched and beautifully written. It is fascinating to read William Parker’s story with many of his own words, and those of the Forten and Purvis families too. If you were moved by the Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass and want more stories of Black Americans who are portrayed as powerful agents and not just helpless victims, this is the book for you! History buffs interested in 19th century America, don’t miss this book!

[Kimberley Weaver]

4.5 stars
I enjoyed the immersion experience of listening to and reading this book. The Ballad of the Fugitive William Parker was excellently researched, written and narrated. Pre-civil war tensions were mounting when something happened in an Underground Railroad location that lead to a trial of the century. We’ve got abolitionists, slave catchers and everyone in between in this community as events unfold. I consider myself fairly well read on the subject and time period but much of this book was new information for me. I loved learning about William Parker’s commitment to freedom.
*Thanks to Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for the free copy

[Michael]

In "The Ballad of the Fugitive William Parker," Kristin O'Keefe Aptowicz details the history of William Parker, a freed Black man who daringly stood up to the white men who were bent on enslaving him again. A little known detail of history, Aptowicz applies a historian's eye to detail to this history but makes it come alive vividly. She doesn't turn William Parker into an outside hero but shows a sympathetic character determined to stay free. It makes for a powerful, compelling read. Thanks to #netgalley and #simonandschuster for the opportunity to preview this book.

[Janet]

This is a very detailed book about the Negro “multi-part Civil War history. William Parker was a young black boy when he decided he had had enough. He ran away with his brother and he ended up in Canada for years. He finally felt safe enough to come back in his fifties. He was a father of ten. It was often hard to read, hard to believe that a man could be so mean and cruel to a fellow man. But it was a compelling story and definitely needed to be told. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read an advance copy for my honest review.

[Deirdre Megan Byrd]

The Ballad of the Fugitive William Parker by Cristin O'Keefe Aptowicz is a powerful and gripping piece of history that reads like an intense thriller. Learning about the 1851 Christiana Resistance and how ordinary people risked everything to fight back against slave catchers was incredibly inspiring. Aptowicz does an amazing job bringing figures like William Parker to life, making the complex legal battles and high-stakes trials feel deeply personal and relevant. While the massive cast of historical figures can be a little overwhelming to keep track of at times, the storytelling is super fast-paced and well-researched. It’s a 4-star read that I’d highly recommend to anyone interested in little-known stories of American bravery and the Underground Railroad!

[Rick Lee]

This is a fascinating look at a little known “major event.” As the events and connections between people unfold, it almost reads like a novel. I would have given it five stars, however, I feel the author spent too much time setting up the story. However, once I got through the first 50-60 pages, I loved the book and could not put it down. Stay with it, you won’t be disappointed.

[Annabelle]

This book had me hooked from page one. Cristin O'Keefe Aptowicz kept me guessing the entire time of where we were going and how many wonderful (and not-so-wonderful) people we were going to meet along the way. I enjoyed how tactful and honest the humor was in this book. Normally I read non-fiction in bites around fiction books because normally I cannot binge non-fiction, I did not have to do that with this book, it was so compulsively readable that I could not and would not put it down. I have thought about this book and the stories surrounding it every day since I finished reading it. This is by no means a happy story, but it does have sprinkles of hope in it.
5 stars.
(Thank you to the publisher for the e-arc)