Biography · Biography & Culture
Thomas Smallwood
1801–1883
United States
BIOGRAPHYPortrait not availableExplore the life, work and source references.
Biography
Thomas Smallwood (1801–1883) was a freedman, "a daring activist and searing writer" who worked alongside fellow abolitionist Charles Turner Torrey on the Underground Railroad. The two men created what some historians believe was the first branch of the underground railroad that ran through Washington, D.C., which they operated from 1842 to 1844. After their involvement ceased, the network continued to exist in Washington for another two decades.
Sources & collection details
Wikipedia contributors — original record ↗
Biography text · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Source checked 2026-10-13
Continue exploring Series 1
Slavery, Resistance & Freedom →Arts, Music & Culture →Civil Rights & Public Life →Education & Ideas →
Explore all Series 1 cards →