Juneteenth All Different Now, the First Day of Freedom
By Angela Johnson, Illustrated by E.B. Lewis
Through the eyes of one little girl, All Different Now tells the story of the first Juneteenth, the day freedom finally came to the last of the slaves in the South. Since then, the observance of June 19 as African American Emancipation Day has spread across the United States and beyond. This picture book includes notes from the author and illustrator, a timeline of important dates, and a glossary of relevant terms. All Different Now is a joyous portrait of the dawn breaking on the darkest time in our nation’s history. 5-9 years
Juneteenth A Children’s Story
By Opal Lee, Illustrated by Peter Viska
An engaging way to introduce the history of slavery and freedom to children in words they can understand. Ms. Opal highlights the celebration of Juneteenth and the importance of commemorating this milestone all across America. 5-11 years
Juneteenth
By Drew Nelson and Vaundra Micheaux Nelson, Illustrated by Mark Schroder
June 19,1865, began as another hot day in Texas. Enslaved African Americans worked in fields, in barns, and in the homes of the white people who owned them. Then a message arrived. Freedom! Slavery had ended! The Civil War had actually ended in April. It took two months for word to reach Texas. Still the joy of that amazing day has never been forgotten. Every year, people all over the United States come together on June 19th to celebrate the end of slavery. Join in the celebration of Juneteenth, a day to remember and honor freedom for all people. 7-10 years
Juneteenth for Mazie
By Floyd Cooper
Mazie is ready to celebrate liberty. She is ready to celebrate freedom. She is ready to celebrate a great day in American history. The day her ancestors were no longer slaves. Mazie remembers the struggles and the triumph, as she gets ready to celebrate Juneteenth. 6-9 years
Juneteenth Jamboree
By Carole Boston Weatherford, Illustrated by Yvonne Buchanan
Joining her parents in a community celebration of Juneteenth, Cassie learns about the day when slaves in Texas were freed some two years after the Emancipation Proclamation and wonders why the news took so long to reach them. 8-12 years
Opal Lee and What it Means to be Free:
The True Story of the Grandmother of Juneteenth
By Alice Faye Duncan, Illustrated by Keturah A. Bobo
(Forthcoming book January 2022)
The true story Opal Lee and her vision of Juneteenth as a holiday for everyone, celebrates Black joy and inspires children to see their dreams blossom. Growing up in Texas, Opal knew the history of Juneteenth, but she soon discovered that many Americans had never heard of the holiday that represents the nation’s creed of “freedom for all.”
Every year, Opal looked forward to the Juneteenth picnic–a drumming, dancing, delicious party. She knew from Granddaddy Zak’s stories that Juneteenth celebrated the day the freedom news of President Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation finally sailed into Texas in 1865–over two years after the president had declared it! But Opal didn’t always see freedom in her Texas town.
Then one Juneteenth day when Opal was twelve years old, an angry crowd burned down her brand-new home. This wasn’t freedom at all. She had to do something! Opal Lee spent the rest of her life speaking up for equality and unity. She became a teacher, a charity worker, and a community leader. At the age of 89, she walked from Fort Worth, Texas, to Washington, D.C., in an effort to gain national recognition for Juneteenth. 4-8 years
Juneteenth
By Anece Rochell, Illustrated by Audeva Joseph
Daylen is excited and ready to share everything he knows about Juneteenth. This is a picture book that explains the origin, customs, and importance of the Juneteenth Holiday, in a fun and interactive way. Juneteenth ends with a words to know page, to help children build a stronger vocabulary. 4-10 years
The Story of Juneteenth: An Interactive History Adventure
By Steven Otfinoski
The Emancipation Proclamation and the Civil War had brought an official end to slavery, yet some Southern slave owners refused to comply. The road to freedom was still long and hard for many African Americans, but they didn’t give up. Will you: overcome obstacles as you make your way north from Texas, looking to begin a new life of freedom? Will you: seek out your family, from whom you were separated as a child? Will you: fight back when you take work as an apprentice but find that you’re still treated as a slave? This book offers multiple perspectives on history and gives readers a front-row seat to the past. 8-11 years
Juneteenth: First Step Nonfiction, American Holidays
By Robin Nelson
This book is a basic overview of Juneteenth for emergent readers. Color photographs reflect the short, easy-to-understand sentences that improve vocabulary and comprehension. 5-8 years
The book descriptions used are primarily from the publishers.
If you like this post, then please consider sharing it and/or leaving a comment below. Thank you! Barbara Lowell, Children’s Author
Ona Judge Outwits the Washingtons: An Enslaved Woman Fights for Freedom
By Gwendolyn Hooks, Illustrated by Simone Agoussoye
Soon after American colonists had won independence from Great Britain, Ona Judge was fighting for her own freedom from one of America’s most famous founding fathers, George Washington.
George and Martha Washington valued Ona as one of their most skilled and trustworthy slaves, but she would risk everything to achieve complete freedom. Born into slavery at Mount Vernon, Ona seized the opportunity to escape when she was brought to live in the President’s Mansion in Philadelphia. Ona fled to New Hampshire and started a new life. But the Washingtons wouldn’t give up easily. After her escape, Ona became the focus of a years-long manhunt, led by America’s first president.
Gwendolyn Hooks’ vivid and detailed prose captures the danger, uncertainty, and persistence Ona Judge experienced during and after her heroic escape. 9-12 years
Never Caught, The Story of Ona Judge:
George and Martha Washington’s Courageous Slave Who Dared to Run Away
By Erika Armstrong Dunbar, Illustrated by Kathleen Van Cleve
Born into a life of slavery, Ona Judge eventually grew up to be George and Martha Washington’s “favored” dower slave. When she was told that she was going to be given as a wedding gift to Martha Washington’s granddaughter, Ona made the bold and brave decision to flee to the north, where she would be a fugitive.
From her childhood, to her time with the Washingtons living in the slave quarters, to her escape to New Hampshire, Erica Armstrong Dunbar, along with Kathleen Van Cleve, share an intimate glimpse into the life of a little-known, but powerful figure in history, and her brave journey as she fled the most powerful couple in the country. 9-13 years
Runaway: The Daring Escape of Ona Judge
By Ray Anthony Shepard, Illustrated by Keith Mallett
Ona Judge was enslaved by George and Martha Washington. She served as Martha’s maid. Ona was widely known for her excellent skills as a seamstress, and was raised alongside Washington’s grandchildren. She was frequently mistaken for George Washington’s granddaughter. This poetic biography follows her childhood and adolescence until she decides to run away. With extensive backmatter, this poem may serve as a new introduction to American slavery and Ona Judge’s legacy. 3-6 years
The Escape of Oney Judge: Martha Washington’s Slave Finds Freedom
By Emily Arnold McCully
When General George Washington is elected the first President of the United States, his wife chooses young Oney Judge, a house slave who works as a seamstress at Mount Vernon, to travel with her to the nation’s capital in New York City as her personal maid. When the capital is moved to Philadelphia, the Washingtons and Oney move, too, and there Oney meets free blacks for the first time.
At first, Oney can’t imagine being free – she depends on the Washingtons for food, warmth, and clothing. But then Mrs. Washington tells Oney that after her death she will be sent to live with Mrs. Washington’s granddaughter. Oney is horrified because she knows it is likely that she will then be sold to a stranger – the worst fate she can imagine. Oney realizes she must run. One day she sees an opportunity and takes it, ending up in New Hampshire, where she lives the rest of her life, poor but free. 6-9 years
Taking Liberty: The Story of Oney Judge, George Washington’s Runaway Slave
By Ann Rinaldi
Oney Judge is a slave. But on the plantation of Mount Vernon, the beautiful home of George and Martha Washington, she is not called a slave. She is referred to as a servant, and a house servant at that—a position of influence and respect. When she rises to the position of personal servant to Martha Washington, her status among the household staff—black or white—is second to none. She is Lady Washington’s closest confidante and for all intents and purposes, a member of the family…or so she thinks.
Slowly, Oney’s perception of her life with the Washingtons begins to crack as she realizes the truth: No matter what it’s called, it’s still slavery and she’s still enslaved.
Oney must make a choice. Does she stay where she is, comfortable, with this family that has loved her and nourished her and owned her since the day she was born? Or does she take her liberty—her life—into her own hands, and like her father, become one of the Gone? 12 years+
Oney Judge: Escape From Slavery and the President’s House
By Duchess Harris and Lindsay Wyskowski
President George Washington and his wife enslaved more than 150 people in the mid-1700s. In 1796, one of their slaves escaped. Her name was Oney “Ona” Judge. Oney Judge: This biography explores her story and her legacy. Aligned to Common Core Standards and correlated to state standards. Core Library is an imprint of Abdo Publishing, a division of ABDO. 8-11 years
Answering the Cry for Freedom:
Stories of African Americans and the American Revolution
By Gretchen Woelfle, Illustrated by R. Gregory Christie
Even as American Patriots fought for independence from British rule during the Revolutionary War, oppressive conditions remained in place for the thousands of enslaved and free African Americans living in this country. But African Americans took up their own fight for freedom by joining the British and American armies; preaching, speaking out, and writing about the evils of slavery; and establishing settlements in Nova Scotia and Africa.
The thirteen stories featured in this collection spotlight charismatic individuals who answered the cry for freedom, focusing on the choices they made and how they changed America both then and now. These individuals include: Boston King, Agrippa Hull, James Armistead Lafayette, Phillis Wheatley, Elizabeth “Mumbet” Freeman, Prince Hall, Mary Perth, Ona Judge, Sally Hemings, Paul Cuffe, John Kizell, Richard Allen, and Jarena Lee. Includes individual bibliographies and timelines, author note, and source notes. 9-12 years
The book descriptions used are primarily from the publishers.
If you like this post, then please consider sharing it and/or leaving a comment below. Thank you! Barbara Lowell, Children’s Author
Moses: When Harriet Tubman Let Her People to Freedom
By Carole Boston Weatherford, Illustrated by Kadir Nelson
This poetic book is a resounding tribute to Tubman’s strength, humility, and devotion. With proper reverence, Weatherford and Nelson do justice to the woman who, long ago, earned the name Moses. 5-8 years
Before She Was Harriet
By Lesa Cline-Ransome, Illustrated by James E. Ransome
We know her today as Harriet Tubman, but in her lifetime she was called many names. As General Tubman, she was a Union spy. As Moses, she led hundreds to freedom on the Underground Railroad. As Minty, she was a slave whose spirit could not be broken. And as Araminta, she was a young girl whose father showed her the stars and the first steps on the path to freedom.
She Persisted: Harriet Tubman
By Andrea Davis Pinkney, Illustrated by Alexandra Boiger and Gillian Flint
Born enslaved, Harriet Tubman rose up to become one of the most successful, determined and well-known conductors of the Underground Railroad. With her family’s love planted firmly in her heart, Harriet looked to the North Star for guidance–and its light helped guide her way out of slavery. Her courage made it possible for her to help others reach freedom too.
Harriet Tubman: A Little Golden Book Biography
By JaNay Brown-Wood, Illustrated by Robert Paul, Jr.
Inspire and educate your little one with this Little Golden Book biography. It’s the perfect introduction to nonfiction for preschoolers. This Little Golden Book tells the story of a true hero who helped to free enslaved Black people as a conductor on the Underground Railroad.
Harriet Tubman Conductor on the Underground Railroad
By Ann Petry
Harriet Tubman: Conductor on the Underground Railroad was praised by the New Yorker as “an evocative portrait,” and by the Chicago Tribune as “superb.” It is a gripping and accessible portrait of the heroic woman who guided more than 300 enslaved people to freedom.
She was born in slavery and dreamed of being free. She was willing to risk everything—including her own life—to see that dream come true. After her daring escape, Harriet became a conductor on the secret Underground Railroad, helping others make the dangerous journey to freedom.
Escape North! The Story of Harriet Tubman
By Monica Kulling, Illustrated by Teresa Flavin
This book is an easy-to-read page-turning account of Harriet Tubman’s life. It follows her childhood in slavery, to her years as a conductor on the Underground Railroad, to her later work as a suffragette and as a spy in the Civil War. This remarkable true story brings to life one of America’s greatest female role models.
An Apple For Harriet Tubman
By Glennette Tilley Turner, Illustrated by Susan Keeter
Like other enslaved African American children, young Harriet Tubman had to work hard. She spent long hours in her master’s orchard picking the juicy apples she was forbidden to eat. Harriet vowed to one day be free and grow apple trees of her own. As an adult, she made her escape to the North. She then repeatedly returned south, risking her life, to lead slaves to freedom.
Who Was Harriet Tubman?
By Yona Zeldis McDonough, Illustrated by Nancy Harrison
Born a slave in Maryland, Harriet Tubman knew first-hand what it meant to be someone’s property. She was whipped by owners and almost killed by an overseer. It was from other field hands that she heard about the Underground Railroad. After her escape to Philadelphia, she returned to the South again and again to help slaves escape to freedom.
Minty: A Story of Young Harriet Tubman
By Alan Schroeder, Illustrated by Jerry Pinkney
They called her “Minty.” When she grew up, she became known as Harriet Tubman. She was the courageous and heroic woman who helped hundreds of slaves escape to freedom through the Underground Railroad. But she was a little girl once too. Minty, short for Araminta, was a headstrong young slave whose rebellious spirit often got her into trouble. When her father taught her the skills necessary to escape, she listened carefully and learned what to do.
The Story of Harriet Tubman: A Biography For New Readers
By Christine Platt
Discover the life of Harriet Tubman―a story about courage, bravery, and freedom
Harriet Tubman became a celebrated leader in the fight to free people from slavery. Before that, she was a determined young girl who believed that everyone deserved to be free. Harriet Tubman bravely used the Underground Railroad―a network of secret routes and safe houses―to free herself and many other enslaved people. Explore how Harriet Tubman went from being a slave on a plantation in Maryland to one of the most important figures in American history. How will her courageous spirit inspire you?
Harriet Tubman Freedom Fighter
By Nadia L. Hohn, Illustrated by Gustavo Mazali
Harriet Tubman was a brave woman who was born enslaved in Maryland in the 1800s. After risking everything to escape from her slave master and be free, she went on to lead many people to freedom on a journey known today as the Underground Railroad.
This book covers some of the amazing aspects of her life: She led 13 escapes—all successful and at great personal risk—between 1850 and 1860. This book also covers some of the lesser-known amazing aspects of her life: During the Civil War, Harriet Tubman enlisted African American men to be soldiers. She served as a spy and led a battle under the command of a Union Army colonel!
Beginning readers will learn about the milestones in Harriet Tubman’s life in this Level Two I Can Read biography. This biography includes a timeline and historical illustrations all about the life of this inspiring figure, as well as a rare historical photograph of her. Much mythology and conflicting lore exists about Harriet Tubman. This book was carefully vetted by noted expert Dr. Kate Larson.
When Harriet Met Sojourner
By Catherine Clinton, Illustrated by Shane W. Evans
Two women with similar backgrounds. Both slaves and both fiercely independent. Both great women in different ways. Harriet Tubman was the brave pioneer who led her fellow slaves to freedom. Sojourner Truth was a strong woman who spoke up for African American rights. One day in 1864, the lives of these two women came together.
DK Biography: Harriet Tubman
By Kem Knapp Sawyer
Harriet Tubman tells the story of the famous abolitionist, from her childhood as a slave on a Maryland plantation, to her dramatic escape, to her tireless work as an organizer of the Underground Railroad. This book is full of archival photographs and amazing facts.
Aunt Harriet’s Underground Railroad in the Sky
By Faith Ringgold
Cassie and her brother Be Be meet a train full of people. Be Be joins them. The train departs before Cassie can climb aboard. With Harriet Tubman as her guide, Cassie retraces the steps escaping slaves took on the real Underground Railroad and is reunited with her brother.
The book descriptions used are primarily from the publishers.
If you like this post, then please consider sharing it and leaving a comment below. Thank you! Barbara Lowell, Children’s Author
This book tells the remarkable story of how former slave Isabella Baumfree transformed herself into the preacher and orator Sojourner Truth. She was an iconic figure of the abolitionist and women’s rights movements. 6-10 years
So Tall Within: Sojourner Truth’s Long Walk Toward Freedom
By Gary D. Schmidt, Illustrated by Daniel Minter
Sojourner Truth was born into slavery but possessed a mind and a vision that knew no bounds. So Tall Within traces her life from her painful childhood through her remarkable emancipation to her incredible leadership in the movement for rights for both women and African Americans. 4-8 years
Only Passing Through: The Story of Sojourner Truth
By Anne Rockwell, Illustrated by R. Gregory Christie
Sojourner Truth traveled the country in the latter half of the 19th century speaking out against slavery and telling her story. She was sold three times by age 13, beaten for not understanding her master’s orders, and watched her parents die of cold and hunger when they could no longer work. Sojourner’s simple yet powerful words helped people understand the truth about slavery. 6-9 years
Who Was Sojourner Truth?
By Yona Zeldis McDonough, Illustrated by Jim Eldridge
Almost 100 years before Rosa Parks refused to give up her bus seat, Sojourner Truth was mistreated by a streetcar conductor. She took him to court and won her case. Born a slave in New York around 1797, she was later sold and separated from her family. Even after she escaped from slavery, she knew her work was not done. She changed her name from Belle to Sojourner and traveled around America sharing her story until her death at age 86. 8-12 years
Sojourner Truth’s Step-Stomp Stride
By Andrea Davis Pinkney, Illustrated by Brian Pinkney
Born into slavery, Belle had to endure the cruelty of several masters before she escaped to freedom. But she knew she wouldn’t really be free unless she helped to end the injustice of slavery. That’s when she changed her name to Sojourner Truth and traveled across the country demanding equal rights for African Americans and women. Many people weren’t ready for her message, but she was brave and her truth powerful. And slowly, but surely as her step-stomp stride, Americans began to change. 5-9 years
Sojourner Truth: Path to Glory
By Peter Merchant, Illustrated by Julia Denos
Sojourner Truth had a difficult childhood. She was born a slave and many of the families she worked from treated her poorly. But when she escaped from slavery, she used her life to teach others about the power of freedom. Level 3 reader, 6-8 years
When Harriet Met Sojourner
By Catherine Clinton, Illustrated by Shane W. Evans
This book is about two women with similar backgrounds. Both were slaves, both were fiercely independent, and both were great in different ways. Harriet Tubman was a brave pioneer who led her fellow slaves to freedom. Sojourner Truth was a strong woman who spoke up for African American rights. One day in 1864, they met. This is a portrait of two remarkable women, from their inauspicious beginnings to their pivotal roles in the battle forAmerica’s future. 4-8 years
Sojourner Truth: Fighting for Freedom
By Jeri Cipriano, Illustrated by Scott R. Brooks
Sojourner Truth was born to slaves. She had no choice. But when she grew to be a young mother herself, she ran away with her child looking for freedom. She used her voice to speak for all slaves wanting to be free. 5-8 years
The book descriptions are primarily from the publishers.
If you like this post, then please consider sharing it and leaving a comment below. Thank you! Barbara Lowell, Children’s Author
Phillis Wheatley was the first African American published poet. Born in West Africa in 1753, she was captured and sold to slave traders at age seven or eight years old. She traveled aboard the slave ship, The Phillis, in wretched conditions. Reaching Boston in 1761, John Wheatley, a tailor, bought her as a servant for his wife, Susanna. They named her Phillis after the slave ship. And gave her their last name as was customary. Now she was Phillis Wheatley.
Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
The Wheatleys soon recognized Phillis’s exceptional intelligence. Their children, Mary and Nathaniel, taught her to read and write. She first became fluent in English and then learned to read Greek and Latin. She studied geography, history, astronomy, and literature.
Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
Inspired by English poets, especially Alexander Pope, Phillis began to write poetry. The Newport Mercury printed her first published poem in 1767 when she was thirteen or fourteen. The poem described the sea voyage of Mr. Hussey and Mr. Coffin that ran into a horrific storm. Phillis had heard them tell their story.
Her most famous poem, “On Being Brought from Africa to America” was published in 1768. This poem reveals her feelings on slavery and racial injustice. But it was her poem “On the Death of the Rev. Mr. George Whitfield” that brought her into the nationalspotlight in 1770.
Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
Phillis tried to have a book of her poetry printed in Boston. But the printers refused to believe that an African America had written the poems. She went to court to testify that she was the author. Eighteen men, including John Hancock, gave her an exam. Following the exam, the men agreed that she had written the poems. They signed a document that later appeared in her book.
Courtesy of flickr.com
Phillis and Nathaniel Wheatley sailed to England in 1773. With the financial help of a English countess, Phillis’s first and only book of poetry was published in England. Poems on Various Subjects Religious and Moral included “On Being Brought from Africa to America.”
Sometime after the publication of her book, Phillis became a free woman. She continued to write poetry and in 1778 married a free African America, John Peters. They struggled to meet expenses and after Peters was imprisoned for debts, Phillis worked as a scullery maid in a boarding house. She tried to publish a second book of poetry, but was unsuccessful.
Courtesy of flickr.com
In 1784, Phillis wrote “Liberty and Peace,” her last poem. Sadly, on December 5, Phillis died in Boston at age 31. Many of her poems were lost. In 2003, Phillis was honored with a statue at the Boston Women’s Memorial.
Phillis Wheatley led the way for African America women to write and publish great literature.
Images Courtesy of Wiki Commons
If you like this post, then please consider sharing it and leaving a comment below. Thank you! Barbara Lowell, Children’s Author
Words Set Me Free: The Story of Young Frederick Douglass
By Lesa Cline-Ransome, Illustrated by James E. Ransome
This picture book biography chronicles the youth of Frederick Douglass, one of the most prominent African American figures in American history. Douglass spent his life advocating for the equality of all, and it was through reading that he was able to stand up for himself and others. This is a moving and captivating look at the young life of the inspirational man who said, “I would unite with anybody to do right and with nobody to do wrong.”
Frederick Douglass: Voice for Justice, Voice for Freedom
By Frank Murphy, Illustrated by Nicole Tadgell
Frederick Douglass was a keystone figure in the abolitionist movement, and his story has impacted generations of people fighting for civil rights in America. He was born to an enslaved mother and grew up with the horrors of slavery. In the course of his childhood, he was able to learn to read, and soon realized that reading and language were a source of power, and could be the keys to his freedom. Frederick Douglass spoke and wrote about injustice and equality, and his words profoundly affected the conversation about slavery in America. His activism will resonate with kids today who are observing and participating in our activist culture.
Frederick Douglass: The Lion Who Wrote History
By Walter Dean Myers, Illustrated by Floyd Cooper
Frederick Douglass was a self-educated slave in the South who grew up to become an icon. He was a leader of the abolitionist movement, a celebrated writer, an esteemed speaker, and a social reformer, proving that, as he said, “Once you learn to read, you will be forever free.”
Who Was Frederick Douglass
By April Jones Prince, Illustrated by Robert Squier
Born into slavery in Maryland in 1818, Frederick Douglass was determined to gain freedom. Once he realized that knowledge was power, he secretly learned to read and write to give himself an advantage. After escaping to the North in 1838, as a free man he gave powerful speeches about his experience as a slave. He was so impressive that he became a friend of President Abraham Lincoln.
Bread For Words: A Frederick Douglass Story
By Shana Keller, Illustrated by Kayla Stark
Frederick Douglass knew where he was born but not when. He knew his grandmother but not his father. And as a young child, there were other questions, such as Why am I a slave? Answers to those questions might have eluded him but Douglass did know for certain that learning to read and to write would be the first step in his quest for freedom and his fight for equality.
Told from first-person perspective, this picture-book biography draws from the real-life experiences of a young Frederick Douglass and his attempts to learn how to read and write. Author Shana Keller personalizes the text for young readers, using some of Douglass’s own words. The lyrical title comes from how Douglass “paid” other children to teach him.
Frederick’s Journey: The Life of Frederick Douglass
By Doreen Rappaport, Illustrated by London Ladd
Frederick Douglass was born a slave. He was taken from his mother as a baby, and separated from his grandparents when he was six. He suffered hunger and abuse, but miraculously, he learned how to read. Frederick read newspapers left in the street, and secretly collected spellings from neighborhood children. Words, he knew, would set him free. When Frederick was twenty, he escaped to the North, where he spread his abolitionist beliefs through newspaper articles, autobiographies, and speeches. He believed that all people-regardless of color or gender-were entitled to equal rights. It is Douglass’s words, as well as his life, that still provide hope and inspiration across generations.
Frederick Douglass: The Last Day of Slavery
By William Miller, Illustrated by Cedric Lucas
Born into slavery, young Frederick Douglass dreams of the day he and his people will be free. Yet until that day, his only escape is through the books he reads. They take him to worlds far from his own. When a menacing overseer named Covey sees that Frederick is different from the other slaves, he sets out to “break” him. But Frederick’s surprising response to Covey’s brutality is an act of courage that frees forever what no person can hold captive: hisspirit.
Frederick Douglass Abolitionist Hero
By George E. Stanley, Illustrated by Meryl Henderson
Frederick Douglass was born into slavery. He was separated from his family when he was young. He worked day and night and was beaten for no other reason than the color of his skin. How could anyone ever overcome such overwhelming odds? But Frederick eventually became a famous abolitionist, author, statesman, and reformer. He triumphed over impossible obstacles and paved the way for others to achieve freedom.
Frederick Douglass: National Geographic Readers
By Barbara Kramer
Discover the world of one of America’s most celebrated abolitionists, writers, and orators and learn about his life, achievements, and the challenges he faced along the way.
Frederick Douglass (True Books)
By Josh Gregory
Born into slavery, Frederick Douglass knew from an early age that all people deserved freedom. Discover how he secretly educated himself and taught fellow slaves how to read. And how he escaped to freedom and became one of the nation’s most persuasive voices for abolition.
Two Friends: Susan B. Anthony and Frederick Douglas
By Dean Robbins, Illustrated by Sean Qualls and Selina Aiko
Two friends, Susan B. Anthony and Frederick Douglass get together for tea and conversation. They recount their similar stories fighting to win rights for women and African Americans. This story is inspired by a statue in their hometown of Rochester, New York, which shows the two friends having tea.
Frederick Douglass for Kids: His Life and Times with 21 Activities
By Nancy I. Sanders
Few Americans have had as much impact on this nation as Frederick Douglass. Born on a plantation, he later escaped slavery and helped others to freedom via the Underground Railroad. In time he became a bestselling author, an outspoken newspaper editor, a brilliant orator, a tireless abolitionist, and a brave civil rights leader. He was famous on both sides of the Atlantic in the years leading up to the Civil War, and when war broke out, Abraham Lincoln invited him to the White House for counsel and advice. 9 years+
Friends for Freedom: The Story of Susan B. Anthony and Frederick Douglass
By Suzanne Slade, Illustrated by Nicole Tadgell
No one thought Susan B. Anthony and Frederick Douglass would ever become friends. The former slave and the outspoken woman came from two different worlds. But they shared deep-seated beliefs in equality and the need to fight for it. Despite naysayers, hecklers, arsonists, and even their own disagreements, Susan and Frederick remained fast friends and worked together to change America. 6-9 years
The book descriptions used are primarily from the publishers.
If you like this post, then please consider sharing it and leaving a comment below. Thank you! Barbara Lowell, Children’s Author
Harriet Tubman is the most famous conductor on the Underground Railroad. Born into slavery about 1822 in Maryland, she escaped from the Brodess Farm in 1849 and traveled undetected to Philadelphia in the free state of Pennsylvania.
One of nine children, her parents named her Araminta and called her Minty. At age five or six she was “hired out” to a nearby family to care for their baby. Minty watched over the baby and if it cried, she was whipped.
As a child she was hit with a metal object meant for another slave. She was severely wounded and suffered from seizures and headaches for the rest of her life. But she recovered from her injury and was able to work on the farm. She plowed, hauled logs, and drove oxen. When Minty married John Tubman around 1844, she changed her name to Harriet, her mother’s name.
Slave Notice Published by Eliza Brodess
In 1849, Edward Brodess, her owner died. Harriet believed that she and members of her family would be sold by his widow, Eliza. Harriet and her brothers Ben and Harry slipped away. Because they had been “hired out,” Eliza Brodess did not learn of their escape right away. She published a runaway slave notice two weeks later. But Ben and Harry soon changed their minds and returned home. They convinced Harriet to return with them. Shortly after, she escaped again and made her way to freedom bynight with the help of abolitionists and freed slaves on the Underground Railroad.
“When I found I had crossed that line, I looked at my hands to see if I was the same person. There was such a glory over everything; the sun came like gold through the trees, and over the fields and I felt like I was in heaven.”
Harriet Tubman (left) and Former Slaves She Helped Rescue
Once a free woman, Harriet decided to return to Maryland to help family members and other slaves travel to freedom. She returned thirteen times in about ten years and guided 70 slaves north.* Harriet guided the people she helped at night. She liked to travel in the winter months when the days were shorter. And Harriet knew that if she left on a Saturday night, the runaway slave notices wouldn’t be printed in the newspapers until Monday.
Harriet worked as a conductor on the Underground Railroad by leading escaping slaves through a network of safe houses. She earned the nickname “Moses of her people” by guiding slaves safely to northern states and Canada.
A Woodcut of Harriet Tubman Dressed in Her Civil War Clothing
In 1860, at the start of the Civil War, Harriet became a scout, spy, and a nurse for the Union Army. She helped lead a raid on South Carolina plantations that liberated over 700 slaves.
Harriet Tubman in 1910
When the war ended, Harriet moved to Auburn, New York. She cared for her aging parents, whom she had helped to escape north, and other people who needed her help. She later became part of the suffrage movement and spoke publicly for women’s right to vote. Harriet died of pneumonia in 1913, an American hero.
“I never ran my train off the track and never lost a passenger.” — Harriet Tubman
All photos courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.
*Recent research gives the numbers as thirteen trips, 70 slaves, and disputes earlier figures.
If you like this article, then please consider sharing it and leaving a comment below. Thank you! Barbara Lowell, Children’s Author
Author-Illustrator Don Tate opens his Crystal Kite Award winning book, The Remarkable Story of George Moses Horton Poet with these words: “George loved words. He wanted to learn how to read, but George was enslaved.”
Don Tate tells the story of George Moses Horton born a slave in North Carolina in the late 1700s. As a child, George listened to the words in songs and in sermons and from the Bible. And he listened to the white children on the plantation recite the alphabet, until he too, could recite it. But George could not read. It was forbidden for slaves to learn to read.
George Moses Horton
Then, George found a spelling book and taught himself to read. And George read everything he could. It was poetry he loved to read most. So George began to write poems, memorizing them.
I feel myself in need
Of the inspiring strains of ancient lore,
My heart to lift, my empty mind to feed,
And all the world explore.
When he was seventeen, George became the property of his master’s son and was taken away from his family. On Sundays, George traveled eight miles to the University of North Carolina’s campus to sell the plantations’ vegetables and fruit. He recited his poetry and students there were amazed that he, a slave, had written them.
I know that I am old
And never can recover what is past,
But for the future may some light unfold
And soar from ages blast.
George recited his poems and they were written down by students. He began to sell them for 25 cents and sometimes for clothing.
I feel resolved to try,
My wish to prove, my calling to pursue,
Or mount up from the earth into the sky,
To show what Heaven can do.
A writer, poet, and professor’s wife, Caroline Lee Hentz taught George to write. Now George wrote down the poems he had created and memorized. And through Hentz’s work, George became the first American slave to be published.
My genius from a boy,
Has fluttered like a bird within my heart;
But could not thus confined her powers employ,
Impatient to depart.
George worked out an arrangement with his master, paying him with the money he earned writing and working small jobs. This allowed George to stay at the University and work as a full-time writer. But George was still owned by his master.
She like a restless bird,
Would spread her wing, her power to be unfurl’d,
And let her songs be loudly heard,
And dart from world to world. — George Moses Horton, Myself
George continued to write, and in 1829 published a book of poetry, The Hope Of Liberty. George became the first Southern African-American to publish a book. But George could not gain his freedom with the book’s earnings. His master would not allow it. And as the abolitionist movement grew, so did repression in the South. The Hope of Liberty contained anti-slavery material and George knew that now under North Carolina law he could be severely punished if he continued to write against slavery.
The Poetical Works of George M. Horton about “life, love, death, and friendship” was published in 1845. During the years of the American Civil War, George had to return to work on his master’s farm. At the end of the war, as a free man, he left the farm and traveled with the 9th Michigan Cavalry Volunteers. As they traveled through North Carolina, George wrote his third poetry collection, Naked Genius, published in 1865.
George lived in Philadelphia until his death in about 1883. The poetry of George Moses Horton is in the public domain and available online.
