A Legacy of Self-Liberation
In May 2025, the U.S. National Park Service named the Isaac Mason Escape Site to its National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom Program, one of only 31 new listings nationwide. This is a powerful acknowledgment of the courage of Isaac Mason, a man born enslaved in Kent County who self-emancipated from slavery and later published his story here in Worcester, MA in 1893. His memoir offers a rare first-person account from Maryland’s Eastern Shore, reminding us that freedom-seeking was not abstract but deeply personal, dangerous, and determined.

The ‘Escape Site’ is the home that once belonged to Isaac’s second owner and the place from where Isaac escaped to freedom. You can view the mapping of Isaac’s journey from Chestertown, MD to Worcester, MA in this StoryMap.

Family Ties to Freedom
For me, this recognition carries an even deeper resonance. Isaac Mason was not only a historical figure I have researched—he was family. He was the second husband of my 4th great-grandmother, Annie Kent Bostic Mason. His brother, who also self-emancipated and later changed his name to William Anderson, is my 4th great-grandfather. Isaac and William were born Will and Dick Thompson, brothers who both chose freedom over bondage. To see Isaac’s story honored nationally is to see my own family’s courage, resilience, and love of liberty lifted up and remembered.

This designation affirms what so many descendants already know in our bones—that our ancestors were not passive in their circumstances. They resisted. They fled. They fought. They created new lives despite enormous risk. And they left us a legacy of endurance and strength.

Isaac Mason’s escape and testimony remind us that freedom was not always given—it was sometimes claimed, often at great risk. The National Underground Railroad designation ensures that his story joins a wider chorus of voices, highlighting the persistence of Black families across Maryland and New England who sought and created liberation.

For my family, this is more than a national honor—it is a homecoming of memory. To know that the courage of Isaac is recognized in the landscape where he once walked is a source of joy, pride, and healing. It is proof that our ancestors’ sacrifices were not in vain, and that their voices continue to inspire freedom’s work today.

Celebrating Maryland Emancipation Day
On November 13, 2025, in honor of Maryland Emancipation Day, the Starr Center, Kent Cultural Alliance, and Chesapeake Heartland staff will welcome Mason family descendants, public officials, Kent County artists, Washington College students, and community members for a public celebration. Together, they will honor Mason’s courage and reaffirm the Isaac Mason’s place within the national narrative of the Underground Railroad.

For more information on this gathering, click here.

Aquene, Cher