Running a Thousand Miles for Freedom · Theme

Race and Identity

How Running a Thousand Miles for Freedom develops Race and Identity.

Ellen's near-white appearance and the inclusion of cases like Salome Muller's challenge the notion that slavery is based solely on race, revealing how identity and freedom are manipulated by a system that disregards color when profitable.

Where it surfaces

Running a Thousand Miles for Freedom
Ellen's near-white appearance allows her to pass as a white man; the story of Salome Muller shows that white individuals could also be enslaved.
Endnotes
The endnotes highlight the legal and social construction of racial identity through marriage laws and naming practices.