Detroiter's book tells how slaves changed their lives

Detroit Free Press (MCT) - Although chattel slavery was among America's most despicable periods in history, there were moments of promise and pride amid the pain, says Detroit author Betty DeRamus.

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She captures examples of it in her latest book, "Freedom by Any Means" (Atria, $25), released this week.

"'Freedom by Any Means' focuses on the extraordinary and little-known ways in which black people gained their freedom," DeRamus says. "It stresses the cunning, intelligence and tricky strategies of determined freedom seekers."

The book tells stories of slaves, freedmen and others, bolstered by courage, who used their wit and imagination to free themselves or carve out lives that were rich in ways that weren't always counted in dollars and cents.

"I'm trying to deal with slavery from a different perspective to balance the story," says DeRamus. "We always read of the unrelenting horrors, but there was so much else that helped them survive."

Several of the stories are based in Michigan, or in nearby Windsor, Canada, where many escaped slaves settled.

The book is a follow-up to DeRamus' best seller, "Forbidden Fruit: Love Stories From the Underground Railroad."

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© 2009, Detroit Free Press.