Though I thought that this book was worth my time, I also can't deny that I found it a bit slight, which is more a commentary on the paucity of material Miles had to work with than on her ability as a writer or analyst. The irony here is that, having started this book as a reaction to exemplary stories about Detroit's role in the Underground Railroad, you can feel the relief when Miles has an exemplary story to latch onto in the form of the experiences of the African-American Denison Family, whose activities really stand out in the history of the Detroit of the Early American Republic. It would also be interesting to know how old hands at the history of the first nations responded to Miles' treatment, as she is as interested in the conditions of "Indian" slavery as she is in African bondage. Apart from that I did wind up wondering who this book was really written for, considering that it has a lot more of the structure of an academic monograph than the average general reader would normally deal with; I see a lot of AP History and Michigan history freshman being assigned this text. ( )

A history of Detroit from the perspective of it's unfree people. The source material about slaves in Detroit is spotty, giving this history an episodic quality, and some of the episodes can't be told in full. That is a bit disappointing for the reader, but doesn't detract from the overall arc of the book. Recommended for anyone interested in the history of Detroit, of Michigan or the Michigan Territory, and of slavery. ( )

Every couple of years I read a book either about Detroit or that is set in Detroit, often in historical settings. Each one gives me a little deeper insight into who I am based on the place I grew up. The idea of slavery in Detroit is not entirely new, but I had not considered it with much depth. Detroit is often posed as a place where slaves flee to in their journey toward freedom, not as a place of slavery. The older I get and the more I learn about American history, the more I realize that the nuance is often overlooked and there is no right side.

Miles begins the book in 1760 and moves through five periods, ending with the story of Elizabeth Denison who died in 1866. (The story of Elizabeth’s parents, Peter and Hannah, was intriguing, and I wish I had known about these figures before. This family’s role in the history of Detroit cannot be overstated.) Each of the periods explored were dominated by different rulers and who was in charge greatly influenced how slaves were viewed and treated. When the British pushed the French out of Detroit and into Canada, the social structure was put into upheaval and slaves did not fare as well. Likewise when Americans defeated the British.

Slavery in Detroit was different than slavery in the South. The plantation labor that dominated further south was replaced in Detroit with slaves working in shipping, hunting, hide processing, and other jobs related more closely to the fur trade. In addition, many of slaves in the Detroit River area were indigenous people. Bought and sold by Native groups as well as whites, these slaves were known as Panis.

This aspect of history has not been told often or deeply. The author uses primary documents to piece together the fragments of this mainly untold history. Much was not recorded or it was destroyed in fire. What she does present is a fascinating account of Afro-American and Native people’s subjugation and slavery’s deep roots in Detroit. Going forward when I read historical accounts, I will be looking for the enslaved people who are not mentioned but were integral to society.