Voice of the Fugitive – Upper Canada (Ontario), Henry and Mary Bibb, 1851

Henry Bibb (1815–1854) was born into slavery. He escaped but was recaptured and escaped again before becoming an anti-slavery writer. His wife, Mary Bibb (1820–1877) was born a free person of colour in Brooklyn, New York. Henry and Mary were married in 1848 in Dayton, Ohio.

In 1850, the Fugitive Slave Act was passed in the United States. This act required slaves to be returned to their owners, even if they were in a free state. Recognizing the danger of remaining in America, the Bibbs moved to Sandwich, now Windsor, Ontario. Mary opened a school for Black children, as they were not allowed to attend public schools at that time. Both supported and helped freedom seekers, providing them with food and shelter. 

In January 1851, they published the first edition of the Voice of the Fugitive, the first Black-owned newspaper in Canada, published in Sandwich, Canada West. This newspaper became an essential communication tool, connecting abolitionists and supporters of the Underground Railroad. With subscribers on both sides of the border, it provided vital information to Black people fleeing slavery or seeking to settle in Canada. At the same time, the couple founded the Windsor Anti-Slavery Society, further solidifying their commitment to justice and freedom.

In 2022, Henry and Mary Bibb were honoured as National Historic Persons.