On Thursday 30th of September 2021, a blue English Heritage plaque was unveiled in Hammersmith, commemorating the residence of Ellen and William Craft. The Crafts were an African American couple who married as slaves and did everything in their power to flee to Britain. Their escape began in 1848 and after their arrival in 1850 they continued their abolitionism work from across the Atlantic. The impact of their escape and substantial work was unparalleled and profound – so is a plaque enough to sufficiently commemorate these figures?

     Ellen Craft was born in Georgia in 1826, to a mixed-race mother and her white enslaver. With her mostly European heritage, Ellen was very light-skinned, and could ‘pass’ as white. She met her future husband, William, after he was sold, and they married in 1846, immediately planning their getaway. Historians have agreed that, out of many successful outbreaks from slavery, the Crafts’ escape is one of the most compelling. Ellen, able to pass as white, dressed as a man and posed as disabled, ultimately to portray herself as a wealthy Southern slaveowner, travelling north for medical treatment – with William as the accompanying servant. Even though her perceived whiteness combatted most suspicion, Ellen as a woman would have been unable to travel alone, and so the disguise helped the couple surpass boundaries of race, gender and class.

     In December 1848, the Crafts completed the four-day journey from Georgia to Pennsylvania, an abolitionist area, under this guise. From there they made their way to Britain by boat, eventually residing in Hammersmith. But their efforts did not stop once they had settled. Ellen and William Craft organised the London Emancipation Committee, lectured on abolitionism around the country, and published their life story in 1860, all whilst raising children. Their work enabled them to return to family in the United States in 1865, once slavery was legislatively abolished. Over 150 years later, their Hammersmith home is adorned with an iconic blue plaque, celebrating the bravery of their journey and the impact of their work. The Blue English Heritage plaques of London are key means of remembrance today. There are over 900 in the city, but they are still undoubtedly prestigious. With plaques celebrating the lives of Alan Turing, Mary Seacole and more, the recent inclusion of Ellen and William Craft suggests they have earned a similar degree of recognition and acclaim, which they truly deserve. But, is this enough? Their story, situated in the horrors of Western slavery, but still deeply relevant in terms of race and gender, is like no other, yet is mostly obscure in mainstream history. Perhaps, the narrative of the Crafts reflects a need not just to commemorate, but to educate – and ensure that the masses are taught about their anti-racism, commitment and above all, their bravery.