Henry "Box" Brown was an enslaved man who famously escaped to freedom by mailing himself in a wooden crate from Richmond, Virginia to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1849. The box was labeled with the words "This side up with care" and "Henry Box Brown, 3 feet 1 inch high." Brown endured a harrowing 27-hour journey inside the cramped box, experiencing extreme discomfort and risking discovery at any moment.

Upon his arrival in Philadelphia, Brown emerged from the box as a free man. His escape story garnered widespread attention and he became a prominent figure in the abolitionist movement. Brown later became a lecturer and performer, using his experiences to advocate for the abolition of slavery.

Henry "Box" Brown's story is a powerful example of the lengths to which enslaved individuals would go in order to gain their freedom, as well as the resilience and ingenuity of those who fought against the institution of slavery.