Joshua Glover

The protagonist in our story, Glover was sold to Benammi Garland, a St. Louis estate owner, in 1850. Two years later he escaped, traveling 400 miles to the abolitionist-minded community of Racine, Wisconsin. He lived and worked there for two years before Garland caught up with him and had him arrested on March 10, 1854. As news of Glover’s arrest got out, some 5,000 liberty-loving Wisconsinites rallied to his aid, breaking him out of jail and eventually smuggling him to Canada.

Benammi Garland

Owner of a flourishing estate just outside St. Louis, Garland owned more than 300 acres of land worked by half a dozen slaves, including Glover. When Glover escaped, Garland hired slave catchers who tracked him down in Racine. Garland went to court in Milwaukee to reclaim his “property” and, with the help of federal marshals, captured Glover at his home. Garland would later sue some of the rescuers in an effort to recoup his losses.

Alvan Bovay

Wisconsin attorney, abolitionist and politician who was instrumental in the gathering in Ripon that contributed to the formation of the Republican Party.

James Buchanan

President from 1857 to 1861, Buchanan pardoned Sherman Booth of criminal charges related to Glover’s rescue.

Judge Edward G. Ryan

Hired by the U.S. attorney in Wisconsin to assist in the prosecutions of Rycraft and Booth, Ryan would later serve as chief justice of the Wisconsin Supreme Court.

Roger B. Taney

Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court who presided over the infamous Dred Scott case and overruled the Wisconsin Supreme Court in its findings for Booth and its nullification of the Fugitive Slave Act.

Sherman Booth

Booth was a staunch abolitionist and the editor of the Free Democrat newspaper in Milwaukee. On March 11, 1854, Booth played a pivotal role in spreading the word about Glover’s detention and stirring the crowd to action. Following the rescue, Booth faced high-profile criminal and civil trials that fueled constitutional debates and dragged on for six years. The Wisconsin State Supreme Court eventually freed him, ruling the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 to be unconstitutional. Booth was pardoned by President James Buchanan just prior to the outbreak of the Civil War.

A.P. Dutton

A Racine businessman and agent of the Underground Railroad who was instrumental in getting Glover on a ship to Canada.

Abraham lincoln

Less than six years after the Republican Party was formed, Lincoln was chosen as its presidential nominee. After his election in 1860, secession and Civil War followed. During his first term, Lincoln would sign the Emancipation Proclamation and repeal the Fugitive Slave Law.

Andrew G. Miller

A federal judge for the U.S. District Court of Eastern Wisconsin, Miller issued the warrant for Glover’s arrest. He would later preside over the rescuers’ trials and, in contrast with the Wisconsin State Supreme Court, upheld the constitutionality of the Fugitive Slave Act and federal jurisdiction in the Sherman Booth and John Rycraft cases.

Byron Paine

A pioneering attorney in Wisconsin’s civil rights movement, Paine represented Sherman Booth against charges of violating the Fugitive Slave Act. Paine made the case that the Fugitive Slave Act was unconstitutional, eventually convincing the Wisconsin Supreme Court to nullify the federal statute and release his client. Paine would later serve on the Wisconsin Supreme Court.

Salmon P. Chase

A well-regarded jurist, Chase influenced the legal debate over the constitutionality of the Fugitive Slave Act, informing the arguments of Byron Paine in defending Booth. He would later serve in Lincoln’s cabinet and become chief justice of the U.S. Supreme Court.

Robert Woodson, founder and president of the Woodson Center

Americans are too often presented with a distorted view of our nation’s racial history. It isn’t just a history of oppression; it's also a history of people who stood against oppression. The story of Joshua Glover is a powerful example of how an entire city came together, united by the American ideal of liberty, in order to protect a fugitive slave.Joshua’s rescue served as a catalyst for historic events that would eventually lead to slavery’s demise. It’s important that Americans, especially our young people, hear the whole story. Liberty at Stake will help paint a fuller, more unifying picture of America’s racial legacy.

U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson

The evil of slavery should never be forgotten, nor should the fact that many Americans fought heroically to end it. The story of Joshua Glover can serve to remind us that even in the face of evil, good can and must prevail.

Mike Grebe, former CEO of the Bradley Foundation, former CEO of Foley & Lardner and former general counsel to the RNC

Wisconsin played a critical role in the historic events leading to the end of institutional slavery in the United States. From the public squares of Racine and Milwaukee to the Little White School House in Ripon and the State Supreme Court in Madison, the people of Wisconsin took a firm stand on behalf of Joshua Glover—and the right of every American to enjoy the fruits of liberty. This film will remind Wisconsin residents—and all Americans—of this proud legacy.

Former Speaker of the House Paul Ryan

Americans deserve stories of hope, stories of optimism, stories capturing the best of who we are as a country. The story of Joshua Glover is one that needs to be told, particularly during the Republican National Convention when the entire world is focused on Milwaukee. The birth of the Republican Party was undoubtedly set in motion by the events involving Joshua Glover and his story is an under-recognized instance of Wisconsinites playing an enormous role in shaping our nation’s politics.

Joshua Glover’s story shows how unity can triumph over division. It shows how, even when our nation was deeply divided, Wisconsinites came together as a community to do the right thing. And it shows that standing up for our principles and our fellow citizens can influence the trajectory of our country for centuries to come. I cannot wait for more people to hear this amazing story.”

Dan O’Donnell, WISN 1130 Talk Show Host

I’ve got to give credit where it is due. Where I heard this story is from a great friend of this show by the name of Michael Jahr. He has actually made a short film about Joshua Glover. It is called Liberty at Stake: The Joshua Glover Story. It’s about a 12-minute-long mini-documentary that you can actually see in its entirety at LASfilm.com.Michael tells me that he is working on a feature-length film. Production of that is currently underway. And it’s a remarkable story of resiliency, of determination, of people coming together for the common cause of freedom and liberty.

Former Wisconsin Governor Tommy Thompson

No story better captures the compassion and fierce independence of Wisconsin Badgers than that of the fugitive slave Joshua Glover and the estimated 5,000 Wisconsinites who took action to prevent his return to bondage. Liberty at Stake will showcase the role Wisconsin played in this national drama and the shared fight for freedom and dignity — leading, ultimately, to the abolition of slavery.

Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson

Joshua Glover’s story is important to understand because it reveals so much about our history, our morality, our laws, and our humanity. Liberty at Stake shares a valuable lesson on the cruelty and violence of American slavery and the importance of righteous people who bravely stand up to evil.

Former Gov. Scott Walker

Liberty at Stake tells the story of Joshua Glover and the connection to the groundbreaking gathering of Republicans in Ripon, Wisconsin. It is the kind of history we should share with young people today.

Rebecca Kleefisch, former Wisconsin Lt. Governor

American history is much more robust and inspiring than what our young people get from today’s media and education system. While we should not attempt to scrub the blots from our past, we should be equally unwilling to overlook the bright moments that brought us together and reflected our founding ideals. The story of Joshua Glover is one of those moments where Americans, at great personal risk, lived out the values they espoused.Our nation is divided. Our young people have been taught to be suspicious of and angry toward the very country where they enjoy unequaled liberty and prosperity. Americans need to be reminded of the goodness and greatness that made the United States a beacon of light and hope for the world. As a longtime communicator and storyteller, Michael has the experience, passion and ability to bring the Joshua Glover story to life.

Eloise Anderson, administrator, Gov. Walker, Tommy Thompson administrations

The Joshua Glover story is important to tell. Americans, especially those in Wisconsin, have little to no knowledge of what so many did to advance freedom, even in defiance of federal law. Many do not know about the Fugitive Slave Laws and how Wisconsinites reeled against them. Many everyday Wisconsinites have ancestors, great grandparents, who were involved in freeing Joshua Glover.Creating a documentary about the Joshua Glover story would be impactful. It's not just about Joshua but about how a people joined in solidarity with another human being for freedom. It also would provide a needed understanding that white Wisconsinites need in order to appreciate their history in support of blacks’ humanity and freedom. And for blacks, many need to know about the actions of many Wisconsinites in Racine and Milwaukee who were instrumental in freeing Joshua.

Bradley Dunigan, social studies teacher, Milwaukee Lutheran High School

This documentary was very poignant and grabbed students’ attention. It not only was a great way to talk with students about the untold stories of African Americans in American History but is a great addition to any American History curriculum.