How did the Boston Vigilance Committee seek to protect fugitive enslaved people?

The Boston Vigilance Committee was founded in 1846 by Samuel Gridley Howe and other abolitionists with the primary goal of protecting fugitive enslaved people from Southern slave catchers and their Northern allies.1

By organizing this committee, members sought to provide a coordinated defense for those escaping slavery, ensuring they could evade capture and remain free in the North. Their efforts became increasingly critical following the passage of the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850, which mandated that citizens and officials assist in the apprehension of fugitives. Through such collective action, the committee stood against the legal and social pressures that sought to return individuals to bondage.12