11. Josiah Henson
Josiah Henson escaped slavery by leading his family on a dangerous journey to Canada, where he found freedom and new purpose. His life story became the inspiration for Harriet Beecher Stowe’s influential novel Uncle Tom’s Cabin. In Canada, Henson founded a thriving Black settlement and school, empowering others to build independent lives. His legacy endures as a leader who transformed hardship into hope (Canadian Encyclopedia).
