{"product_id":"breaking-chains","title":"Breaking Chains","description":"When they were brought to Oregon in 1844, Missouri slaves Robin and  Polly Holmes and their children were promised freedom in exchange for  helping develop their owner’s Willamette Valley farm. However, Nathaniel  Ford, an influential settler and legislator, kept them in bondage until  1850, even then refusing to free their children. Holmes took his former  master to court and, in the face of enormous odds, won the case in  1853. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIn \u003ci\u003eBreaking Chains\u003c\/i\u003e, R. Gregory Nokes tells the  story of the only slavery case adjudicated in Oregon’s pre-Civil War  courts—Holmes v. Ford. Through the lens of this landmark case, Nokes  explores the historical context of racism in Oregon and the West,  reminding readers that there actually were slaves in Oregon, though  relatively few in number.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eDrawing on the court record, Nokes  offers an intimate account of the relationship between a slave and his  master from the slave’s point of view. He also explores the experiences  of other slaves in early Oregon, examining attitudes toward race and  revealing contradictions in the state’s history. Oregon was the only  free state admitted to the union with a voter-approved constitutional  clause banning African Americans and, despite the prohibition of slavery  in the state, many in Oregon tolerated it and supported politicians who  advocated for slavery, including Oregon’s first territorial governor. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eBreaking Chains\u003c\/i\u003e  sheds light on a somber part of Oregon’s history, bringing the story of  slavery in Oregon to a broader audience. The book will appeal to  readers interested in Pacific Northwest history and in the history of  slavery in the United States.","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":57481493414261,"sku":"9780870717123","price":14.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9780870717123.jpg?v=1786089758","url":"https:\/\/backstory.london\/products\/breaking-chains","provider":"Backstory","version":"1.0","type":"link"}