Joe the Pressman: The Incredible True Story of an Enslaved African Boy who Became a Heroic Freedom Fighter

Coming in January 27th, 2026 from Black Maple Magazine Publishing!

Paperback: $17.99 USD

Hardcover: $28.99 USD

Long ago, a young African boy was stolen from his family and forced onto a slave ship, sailing far from his homeland. Joe the Pressman is an illustrated children’s book that recounts the remarkable true story of his forced migration to the Caribbean and then to Philadelphia, where he was enslaved by printer William Dunlap. His journey led him to Quebec City, where he was forced to work for William Brown and Thomas Gilmore, co-founders of the Quebec Gazette. Renamed Joe, he became the pressman, the shop’s most valued laborer. However, Joe’s memories of freedom fueled his determination to escape the bonds of slavery. He successfully fled five times, three in the harsh Quebec winters, which compelled his enslavers to publish fugitive slave ads in their attempts to recapture him.

Joe’s defiance highlights his intelligence and bravery, and it is through his struggles that we learn about his life. This book not only honors Joe’s legendary spirit but also educates young readers about the lesser-known histories of slavery in cold climate regions like the US North and Canada. Unlike many children’s books that focus on plantation slavery in the US South, Joe the Pressman is the first English-language children’s book to delve into the 200-year history of Canadian Slavery. Through Joe’s inspiring story, readers gain insight into the past while being encouraged to confront injustice and embrace their own strength.

Cite this Book: Charmaine A. Nelson, Joe the Pressman: The Incredible True Story of an Enslaved African Boy who became a Heroic Freedom Fighter (Amherst, MA: Black Maple Magazine Publishing, 2026)

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Hear Charmaine discuss Joe the Pressman on CBC Mainstreet NS with Jeff Douglas (July 22, 2025)

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