Cristin O'Keefe Aptowicz — The Ballad of the Fugitive William Parker: A True Tale of Love, Murder, Treason, and Ordinary Folks Who Saved America - with Nikki M. Taylor — at the Wharf

Cristin O’Keefe Aptowicz presents *The Ballad of the Fugitive William Parker*, her account of the overlooked 1851 Christiana resistance, in conversation with Howard University historian Nikki M. Taylor. The event explores the confrontation often remembered in its time as “the first shots of the Civil War,” when a Maryland enslaver pursuing four fugitives was killed and 27 local men were arrested for treason rather than murder.

The book follows William Parker, a self-emancipated man who organized neighbors against slave catchers in Lancaster County, as well as abolitionists including Harriet Forten Purvis of Philadelphia. It places the Christiana events and the subsequent treason trial within a broader history of interracial resistance, abolitionism, and ordinary people joining together against slavery.

When: Wednesday, September 16, 2026

Showtimes: 7:00 p.m.

Venue: Politics and Prose at The Wharf, 610 Water St. SW, Washington, DC 20024

Tickets: Free

Seating: First come, first served.

Featured speakers: Cristin O’Keefe Aptowicz, author, in conversation with Nikki M. Taylor, a Howard University professor of history.

Author: Aptowicz is a New York Times bestselling author, the writer of *Dr. Mütter’s Marvels*, and the author of eight poetry collections. She is a seventh-generation Pennsylvanian based in Philadelphia.

Conversation partner: Taylor specializes in nineteenth-century African American history, with additional expertise in urban history, African American women’s history, and intellectual history. She served as chair of Howard University’s Department of History from 2017 through 2023 and has received Fulbright, Social Science Research Council, and Woodrow Wilson fellowships.

Accessibility: To request accommodations or ask about accessibility, email events@politics-prose.com, ideally at least one week before the event. The organizers will try to accommodate requests made up to the event.

Related book: *The Ballad of the Fugitive William Parker: A True Tale of Love, Murder, Treason, and Ordinary Folks Who Saved America* is available in hardcover. The listed book price is $31.00, with publication scheduled for September 8, 2026.