▁on ▁July ▁ 5 , ▁ 1 8 2 7 , ▁the ▁celebr ation ▁of ▁final ▁em an cip ation ▁of ▁slaves ▁in ▁New ▁York , ▁and ▁gained ▁press ▁coverage ▁of ▁the ▁event . ▁in ▁New ▁York ▁and ▁repr ints ▁some ▁press ▁coverage ▁of ▁the ▁event . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 8 3 1 ▁Ste ward ▁went ▁to ▁Canada , ▁to ▁aid ▁fug itive ▁slaves ▁seeking ▁refuge ▁there . ▁Ste ward ▁devoted ▁much ▁of ▁his ▁later ▁life ▁in ▁a iding ▁these ▁fug itive ▁slaves . ▁He ▁was ▁interested ▁in ▁a ▁new ▁settlement ▁and ▁became ▁president ▁of ▁the ▁board ▁of ▁man agers ▁of ▁Wil ber force ▁Col ony . ▁It ▁was ▁founded ▁by ▁African ▁Americans ▁fle eing ▁the ▁Ohio ▁Black ▁C odes , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁ri oting ▁in ▁C inc inn ati , ▁and ▁joined ▁by ▁refuge es . ▁It ▁strugg led ▁with ▁internal ▁divisions ▁and ▁financial ▁difficulties . ▁Ste ward ▁eventually ▁returned ▁to ▁Ro chester ▁in ▁ 1 8 3 7 . ▁ ▁His ▁mem oir ▁Tw enty - Two ▁Years ▁a ▁S lave , ▁and ▁Fort y ▁Years ▁a ▁Fre eman ▁was ▁published ▁in ▁ 1 8 5 7 . ▁It ▁is ▁considered ▁a ▁slave ▁narr ative , ▁detail ing ▁his ▁early ▁life ▁of ▁ens lav ement ▁and ▁escape , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁his ▁years ▁of ▁freedom ▁and ▁work ▁at ▁Wil ber force ▁Col ony . ▁In ▁the ▁years ▁before ▁the ▁Civil ▁War , ▁such ▁books ▁sometimes ▁became ▁best s ellers ▁in ▁the ▁North , ▁and ▁abol ition ists ▁drew ▁from