Black History Month has passed, but it's never too late to recognize an interesting character in African-American history.

When Henry "Box" Brown fled Virginia slavery in March 1849, he and his accomplices devised a escape plan that would later make them nationally famous. Once you learn this story, you'll understand why Brown was cocky enough to change his middle name to "Box".

Brown, who weighed over 200 pounds, had himself sealed in a box that was roughly 3 feel long, 2 1/2 feet deep, and 2 feet wide. The box was to look like it was transporting dry goods, and was shipped to Philadelphia next-day express. Receiving the package in Philadelphia – thankfully, he was home when it arrived – was James McKim, a white minister who believed in slavery abolition.