In this edition of North by North-East, Ben and Glen uncover the remarkable tale of how two Tyneside sisters-in-law, Ellen and Anna Richardson, helped one of the most famous Americans of their age secure his freedom.

We trace a story that spans both sides of the Atlantic, uncovering more about the life of Frederick Douglass, the fight for the abolition of slavery, and the role of Quakerism in shaping the Richardsons’ lives.

Join us on a journey that reveals the very worst and the very best of humanity, all connecting to Newcastle and its place in this extraordinary history.