The extraordinary lives of William and Ellen Craft, as detailed in R. J. M. Blackett's 1999 edition, are not merely confined to the accounts found in their narrative, Running a Thousand Miles to Freedom. Blackett's essay enriches our understanding by exploring lesser-known facets of their journey. Although William Craft's narrative briefly outlines their escape to Boston, it glosses over significant events such as their initial speaking tour across New England. This tour, orchestrated in part by William Wells Brown and the Massachusetts Anti-Slavery Society, occurred just weeks after their daring escape from slavery.

Before their story was immortalized in print, the Crafts had already begun to capture the hearts of audiences in Boston, Worcester, and smaller towns like Northborough and Abington. These public recountings of their perilous journey and their powerful antislavery messages laid the groundwork for the later publication of their book in 1860. Their influence was profound, amplifying the antislavery movement at a time when federal laws were tightening the grip on fugitive slaves, forcing the Crafts to seek refuge in Canada and subsequently in England. It was in England, merely months before the American Civil War, that their seminal work was published.

Beyond their literary contributions, the Crafts' commitment to social justice led them to various endeavors across the globe. William ventured to the West African coast, aiming to dissuade local leaders from engaging with slave traders. In 1869, the couple bravely returned to the United States, specifically to Georgia, the state of their enslavement. There, William took up farming while Ellen, alongside their daughter, established two schools dedicated to educating freed slaves. Despite the oppressive climate during the post-Reconstruction era and financial hardships, the Crafts remained steadfast in their mission. They lived as pioneers, exemplifying that free African Americans were fully capable of self-governance and could uplift their communities from the legacies of enslavement.