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Resources ** The American Reader: Words that Moved a Nation. Edited by Diane Ravitch. New York: HarperCollins, 1991. This anthology provides teachers with numerous choices for short, provocative readings to supplement the study of the era. Readings in "Prelude to War" provide a number of dramatic readings, including Frederick Douglass' compelling 1852 Independence Day speech in Rochester. Bial, Raymond. The Underground Railroad. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1995. Bial tells a beautifully story illustrated with artistic photographs of various stations along the Underground Railroad. See also Jean Fritz's novel Brady (Puffin, 1987) for the story of a boy who accidentally discovers an Underground Railroad station and then endangers the effort because he cannot keep his mouth shut. Blockson, Charles L. The Underground Railroad. New York: Berkley Books, 1994. Blockson has compiled a rich collection of stories of courageous men and women who risk their lives for freedom. These short, readable accounts give students a personal perspective of the era. In addition to the celebrated Harriet Tubman, Frederick Douglass, and Solomon Northup, there narratives include the lesser-known Henry "Box" Brown and over 40 others. Clafin, Edward Beecher. Sojourner Truth and the Struggle for Freedom (PROFILE OF GRET AMERICANS series). New York: Barron, 1987. Born a slave in New York, Sojourner truth lost her only son who was taken from her arms and sold into slavery in the South. This biography chronicles her efforts to win freedom, track her son and gain his freedom, and her unending struggle for abolition. The book includes map activities, a glossary, student bibliography, and topics for discussion, essays, and reports. Crossing the Danger Water: Three Hundred Years if African American Writing. Edited by Diedre Mullane. New York: Doubleday, 1993. A powerful anthology of letters, novels, and political tracts by African American writers. A number of readings support this unit of study including spirituals, poetry, excerpts from slave narratives, and abolitionist tracts. This is an excellent teacher resources; students may also use selected segments. Douglass, Frederick. Escape from Slavery: The boyhood of Frederick Douglass in His Own Words. Edited by Michael McCurdy. New York; Alfred A. Knopf, 1994. Frederick Douglass's biography is an intimate portrait of slavery and a testimonial to a young man's determination to win freedom for himself and his people. The excerpts from McCurdy selected from Douglass's autobiography focus on dramatic events in his boyhood; separation from his family, learning to read and write, and the bitter encounters with cruel masters. Frederick Douglass: In His Own Words. Edited by Milton Meltzer, Illustrated by Stephan Alcorn. San Diego, Calif.: Harcourt Brace, 1995. Each entry in this compilation of Douglass's writing and speeches in preceded by a short introduction placing the excerpt in its historical context. This is a good student reference book. See also "Frederick Douglass: When the Lion Wrote History" (PBS, VHS, 90 minutes) as an examination of Douglass' struggle for civil rights of African Americans and women's rights. * "Half Slave, Half Free." VHS. The film, directed by Gordon Parks, is based on the story of Solomon Northup's autobiography Twelve Years a Slave which was published in 1853. This is a powerful dramatization of a free African American who was kidnapped and sold into slavery. The film vividly depicts the brutality of slavery. Hamilton, Virginia. Many Thousand Gone: African Americans from slavery to Freedom. New York: Knopf, 1995. The history of slavery in American is traced, from the earliest slave trading to the Emancipation Proclamation, through the voices and stories of those who lived it. Individual profiles included Harriet Tubman, Sojourner Truth, and Frederick Douglass. Dramatic black and white illustrations accompany the text. Anthony Burns: The Defeat and Triumph of a Fugitive Slave (Knopf, 1988). Jacobs, William J. Great Lives: Human Rights. New York: Charles Scribners Sons Books for young readers, 1990. The moving and inspirational biographic portraits of thirty defenders of human rights. Short biographies of Frederick Douglass, the Grimk� sisters, Harriet Beecher Stowe, William Lloyd Garrison, Thaddeus Stevens, and Sojourner Truth are appropriate to this unit. Krass, Peter. Sojourner Truth. Los Angeles: Melrose Square, 1990. The text traces the life of the former slave who could neither read not write yet earned a reputation as one of the nations most articulate and outspoken advocates of abolition and women's rights. Lyons, Mary E. Letters From a Slave Girl: The Story of Harriet Jacobs. New York: Scribner & Sons, 1992. Based on the life of Harriet Jacobs, a young girl must decide whether to wait for her freedom or gather her strength and escape. For the complete work see Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl Written by Herself., edited by Jean Fagan Yellin (Harvard University Press, 1987). This is the complete account of the author's life as a slave, fugitive, and free person. Sections of the book may be used as oral reading exercises or incorporated in a readers' theater presentation. Major Problems in the History of the American South, Volume 1: The Old South (MAJOR PROBLEMS IN AMERICAN HISTORY series). Edited by Paul D. Escott and David R. Goldfield. Lexington, Mass.: D.C. Heath, 1990. A good collection of primary sources and historical essays on the Old South. Documents included arguments for and against slavery as well as observations by non-slave holding with Southerners. Although difficult reading, excerpts may be read to the class. McKissack, Patricia C., and Frederick McKissack. Sojourner Truth: Ain't I a woman? New York: Scholastic, 1992. A well- rounded biography of a vocal activist fro civil rights both for blacks and women. See also Rebels Against Slavery: American Slave revolts (Scholastic, 1996), by the same authors. McMullan, Kate. The Story of Harriet Tubman, Conductor of the Underground Railroad. New York: Dell, 1994. An easy-reading and inspiring biography which captures the human story of slavery told though the life of Harriet Tubman. Also see Ann McGovern's "Wanted Dead or Alive": The Story of Harriet Tubman (Scholastic, 1965) for a short, yet readable biography and Megan McClard's Harriet Tubman: Slavery and the Underground Railroad (Silver Burdett, 1991). The Oxford Frederick Douglass Reader. Edited by William Andrews. New York: Oxford University Press, 1996. A one-volume collection of the representative works of Frederick Douglass's fifth-year writing career. The anthology contains the entire test of Narritive of the Life of Frederick Douglass (1845), the anti-slavery oration "What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?" (1852), and the novella The Heroic Slave (1853). In addition the work includes excerpts from My Bondage, My Freedom (1855), Life and Times of Frederick Douglass (1881 and 1892 editions), and articles on women's rights and black enlistment in the Civil War. Paulsen, Timothy J. Days of Sorrow, Years of Glory: From the Nat Turner Revolt to the Fugitive Slave Act (1831-1850)(Milestones in Black American History series). Broomall, PA: Chelsea House, 1994. Paulsen examines opposition to slavery and the important people in this nineteen-year period who worked to end the "peculiar institution." "Race to Freedom: the Story of the Underground Railroad." VHS, Xenon Entertainment Group, 1993. A teleplay, originally shown on The Family Channel, which follows the journey of a group of fugitive slaves to Canada in their search for freedom. Rosenburg, John. William Parker: Rebel Without Rights. Brookfield, Conn.: The Millbrook Press, 1996. On September 11, 1851 William Parker, along with other former slaves, free Blacks, and Quakers rebelled against the enforcement of the Fugitive Slave Act. This historical novel is based on the bloody Christiana, Pennsylvania uprising and the ensuring treason trial. Students are introduced to influential leaders such as Henry Clay, Frederick Douglass, and Lucretia Mott and learn of the pivotal role William Parker played in this fight to maintain freedom. Bloody Dawn: The Christiana Riot and Racial Violence in the Ante-bellum North by Thomas Slaughter (Oxford University Press 1991) is a more detailed historical account of the riot which includes numerous excerpts from public records. Slavery in the 19th Century. Los Angeles: Regents, University of California, 1991. A National Center for History in the Schools teaching unit which uses a variety of documents, including letters by abolitionists, slave codes, parish records, and folktales to show how slavery was an integral part of the Southern culture that rationalized and sustained it. The unit, complete the teaching suggestions and activities, includes lessons on Africa American culture, slaves' resistance, abolition, women's rights, and an annotated bibliography. Slavery: opposing Viewpoints (AMERICAN HISTORY series). San Diego, Calif.: Greenhaven Press, 1992. A history of the institution of slavery in the United States presented in a point counter-point format. Smacker, Barbara. Runaway to Freedom: A Story of the Underground Railway.Magnolia, Mass.: Peter Smith, 1992. Based on the narratives of fugitive slaves and a careful study of the Underground Railroad, this is an honest and insightful account of the escape of the two fictitious young slave girls from Mississippi to Canada. The compelling plot will attract readers of all ages. A Spanish translation, Huida al Canad� (Noguer, 1985) is also available. Taylor, M. W. Harriet Tubman. Broomall, Pa.: Chelsea House, 1990. Taylor's biography describes the life of abolitionist Harriet Tubman. The text begins with her life as a slave in Maryland and traces her role as a "conductor" for the Underground Railroad, her service during the Civil War and her efforts in establishing a home for the aged. The book is available from social studies supply houses. The Underground Railroad: Life Along the road to freedom (PERSPECTIVES ON HISTORY series). Edited by Ellen Hansen. Carlisle, Mass.: Discovery Enterprises, Ltd., 1993. This short readable anthology of primary and secondary sources includes William and Ellen Craft's dramatic escape to freedom, excerpts from David Walker's Appeal, and test from the Fugitive Slave Act 1850. Hansen's article on the Underground Railroad, together with a map of the major routes and a chronology of slavery in the U.S., give students a broader picture of the era. Historic illustration and two well known spirituals are also included. Walker, David. David Walker's Appeal. New York: hill and Wang, 1995. This is a reprint of David Walker's dramatic appeal which first appeared in 1829. This militant document clearly shows Walker's abhorrence to the institution of slavery. Use excerpts from David Walker's Appeal to show the power of the written word in opposition to slavery. Warner, Lucille Schulberg. From Slave to Abolitionist: Life of William Wells Brown. New York: Dial Books, 1976. Adapted from the original writings of William Wells Brown, this book is a vividly descriptive narrative of the inhuman system of slavery witnessed by Brown and a moving account of Brown's efforts to overcome the evils of slavery for himself and future generations. No longer in print, this source is available at public libraries. ** The way We Lived, Essays and Documents in American Social History, Volume1: 1607-1807. Edited by Fredericj Binder and David Reimers. Lexington, Mass.: D.C. Health, 1992. This collection of readings includes a young boy's account of being sold at auction and the agony of his mother as she separated from her children, and William Lloyd Garrison's article in The Liberator, January 1, 1831, in which he explains his dedication to the abolition of slavery. White, Deborah Gray. Let My People Go: African Americans, 1804-1860 (Volume 4 of THE YOUNG OXFORD HISTORY OF AFRICAN AMERICAN series). New York: Oxford University Press, 1996. A study of African American voices against slavery, Let My People Go explores what slavery was like for men, women, and children and examines how slaves created communities under bondage and contribution to the decline of the slavery. Wierner, Eric. Frederick Douglass, Voice of Freedom. New York: Parachute Press, Inc., 1992. This accessible biography has been excerpted form authentic autobiographies, writings and commentaries. A noted author and speaker, Douglass escaped from slavery to become on of America's first African American politicians and a champion of human rights. No longer in print, this biography is available at public libraries. Witness for Freedom: African American Voices on Race, Slavery and Emancipation. Edited by C. Peter Ripley. Chapel Hill, North Carolina: The University of North Carolina Press 1993. Witness for Freedom contains a wealth of short readings by African Americans on key issues in 18th and 19th century U.S. history. The anthology is a good classroom or library resource. Resources for Other Topics Andryszewski, Tricia. The Seminoles: People of the Southeast. Brookfield, Conn.: Millbrook Press, 1995. A survey of the history and culture of the Seminoles, who established themselves in northern Florida in the 1700s, later moving to the Everglades. This brief, readable account examines as often overlooked aspect of U.S. history. Barboza, Steven. Door of No Return: The legend of Gore� Island. New York: Cobblehill, 1994. During the era of the slave trade, Glore� Island, off the west coast of Africa, was a "holding area for captured slaves until they could be put on board ships. The history of the island and its role in the slave trade presents another aspect of the slavery issue. Berry, James. Ajeemah and His Son. New York: HarperCollins, 1992. Atu and his father are captured by slave traders while on their way to deliver a dowry to Atu's bride-to-be. They are shipped to Jamaica and sold to different owners. This novel highlights the human suffering that accompanied the slave trade. See also Joyce Hansen's The Captive (Scholastic, 1994) for a similar story, based on an actual slave narrative in which the son of an Ashanti chieftain is sold into slavery in Massachusetts. Bisson, Terry. Nat Turner. Los Angeles: Melrose Square, 1989. The biography of the leader of one of the most important slave uprisings in United States history. Bison praises "General Nat" for his courage to fight against the oppressive slave system. Branch, Muriel Miller. The Water Brought Us: The Story of the Gullah-Speaking People. New York: Cobblehill Books, 1995. The author presents a portrait of the Gullah people who forged a unique African American culture out of the oppressive circumstances of slavery. The book effectively links past to present. "Calhoun v. Garrison - 1849: Great American Confrontations." Interact. This one-to two-day simulation follows a "Donahue" style talk show involving the entire class. Roles include the abolitionist Garrison, the slave advocate Calhoun, and questioners representing a Constitutional scholar, moderate abolitionist, plantation owner, slave and a poor white farmer. Celsi, Teresa. John C. Calhoun and the Roots of War. Parsippany, New Jersey: Silver Burdett Press, 1991. A biography of the powerful senator from South Carolina, an advocate for slavery and staunch defender of Southern interests. This biography is one of the several in THE HISTORY OF THE CIVIL WAR series. Cheek, William F. Black Resistance Before the Civil War. Beverly Hills, Calif.: Glencoe Press, 1970. This short collection of reading deals with a variety of forms of resistance to slavery from violent uprisings to nonviolent resistance. It includes interesting stories, lyrics of spirituals, and rhymes. Although out of print, the text is available at most libraries. The stories are gripping and will hold student attention. Edwards, Lillie J. Denmark Vesey. Broomall, Pa.: Chelsea House, 1990. This biography of Vesey explores the abortive Charleston slave instruction and its historical impact. The biography provides insights which are neglected in the passing reference to Denmark Vesey in most texts. Fox, Paula. The Slave Dancer. New York: Dell, 1991. In 1840, a thirteen-year-old is kidnapped and spends four months on a slave ship playing music to make the slaves dance as means of keeping their muscles strong and bodies profitable. A Spanish edition, La Danza de los Esclavos (Nogues, 1990) is available. Fritz, Jean. Harriet Beecher Stowe and the Beecher Preachers. New York: Putnam, 1994. Stowe's Uncles Tom's Cabin, written in 1850, become a best-seller at the time and helped to promote and Abolitionist crusade. For another biography, see Suzanne M. Coil's Harriet Beecher Stowe (Watts, 1993). For advanced readers, use Norma Johnston's Harriet: The Life and World of Harriet Beecher Stowe (Four Winds, 1994). Hamilton, Virginia. The People Could Fly: American Black Folktales. New York: Knopf, 1993. A powerful and enchanting book of Africa American folktales, born out of slavery and passed on in hope. The folktales of animals, fantasy, and a desire for freedom and retold with the accompaniment of mysterious black and white illustrations. This book could be read out loud even at the eighth grade level. Jakoubek, Robert E. Harriet Beecher Stowe. Broomall, Pa.: Chelsea House, 1989. Jakoubek's biography of Harriet Beecher Stowe looks at her role as a famous author and goes beyond the famous Uncle Tom's Cabin to illustrate her other works which present a clear picture of life in nineteenth century New England. Johnson, Charles Soulcatcher Harcourt Brace & Company, 1998Charles
Johnson's stories about the African American experience of slavery had
an interesting genesis. TV producer Orlando Bagwell asked the author to
write 12 original short stories based on the PBS series Africans in America:
America's Journey through Slavery. Johnson found the request daunting
but irresistible. As he writes in his preface: "Rarely is a writer
given the opportunity (like an actor) to climb into the skin of both Frederick
Douglass and Martha Washington, to descend into the fetid hold of a slave
ship and join a nineteenth century slave revolt, to play Jefferson's consul
to Haiti and inhabit the psyche of both a runaway slave and his pursuer."
Miller, Robert H. A Pony for Jeremiah. Illustrated by Nneka Bennett. Parsippany, New Jersey: Silver Burdett Press, 1997. An easy to read novel of Jeremiah, who escaped with his family form the plantation in Mississippi to Nebraska. In Nebraska, Jeremiah learns his first lesson about the meaning of freedom and responsibility. Oates, Stephan. The Fires of Jubilee: Nat Turner's Fierce Rebellion. New York: HarperCollins, 1990. The Fires of Jubilee is an exceptionally well written history of the Turner insurrection. This account read more like a novel than a history of the era. Our Song, Our Toil: The Story of American Slavery as Told by Slaves. Edited by Michele Stepto. Brookfield, Conn.: Millbrook, 1994. Using first person accounts form former slaves, Our Song, Our Toil is a history of slavery told in human terms. Paulsen, Gary. Nightjohn. New York: Dell, 1995. This is a short, powerful novel of a slave who escaped to freedom, but returns to slavery to teach others how to read. The slavery depicted here is harsh and ugly, the joy twelve-year-old Sarny expresses when she connects letters and words, and the moving bravery of Nightjohn, make this a must read. Petry, Ann. Harriet Tubman: Conductor on the Underground Railroad. New York: HarperCollins, 1996. In this readable biography, Petry examines the life and harrowing experiences of the most famous conductor of the Underground Railroad. See also Jacob Lawrence's Harriet and the Promised Land (Simon & Schuster, 1993) for a picture book format incorporating the artist's powerful paintings with rhythmic verse to recount the life of Harriet Tubman. Potter, Robert R. John Brown: Militant Abolitionist (AMERICAN TROUBLEMAKERS series). Austin Texas: Raintree Steck-Vaughn, 1995. Potter's biography of John brown examines his early life and failed business career as well as his crusade to end slavery in Kansas and the raid at Harper's Ferry. The book includes excerpts of interviews with Brown after his capture and several sketches drawn by newspaper reporters at the time of his trial and execution. Prelude to War: A Sourcebook on the Civil War. Edited by Carter Smith. Brookfield, Connecticut: Millbrook Press, 1993. A variety of contemporary materials and illustration are used in this series of short narratives describing the causes of the Civil War that developed between 1820 and 1961. "A timeline of Major Events" gives students a thorough historical perspective of the key events in this era and their impact on the eventual war/ Quarles, Benjamin. Black Abolitionists. New york: De Capro, 1991. The author documents the history of African American pioneers in the abolitionist movement. Recommended for teacher backround reading. Rees, Douglas. Lightning Time. New York: DK Publishing, Inc., 1997. A fictional story of young Theodore Worth who has joined John Brown's crusade to end slavery and begins to have doubts about the feasibility of an raid on Harper's Ferry. Ruby, Lois. Steal Away Home. New York: Macmillan, 1994. The identify of a skeleton found in a secret chamber of her home in Kansas is revealed by a diary that twelve-year-old Dana takes from that room. In two parallel stories, the novel unravels the present day mystery and uncovers a story of the dangers of running a station on the Underground Railroad. Sisson, Mary Barr. The Gathering Storm: From the Framing of the Constitution to Walker's Appeal, 1787-1829. New York Chelsea House, 1997. The test describes the growth of slaver rebellion following the realization of the exclusionary nature of the Constitution. The objective narration chronicles racism, disappointments, and failures, as well as economic and cultural successes. Six Women's Slave Narratives. Edited by Henry Louis Gates, Jr. New York: Oxford University Press, 1989. Written by six African American women, these stories are poignant portrayals of life under slavery. Each of the six narratives reveals the brutal nature of slavery and the black woman's ability to recover in past oppression the hope for a better day. Excerpts may be read to the class. Sterling, Dorothy. Ahead of Her Time: Abby Kelley and the Politics of Antislavery. New York: Norton, 1994. Sterling's biography describes Abby Kelley's commitment to a cause and illustrates the struggle she face within the abolitionist movement. The chairman of the Connecticut Anti-Slavery Society challenged her outspokenness declaring, "No woman will speak or vote where I am moderator. It is enough for women to rule at home." Kelley became more radical in her opposition to slavery. Prejudice, and male supremacy. This is a vividly told story of courage. Stolz, Mary, and Gerald Horne. Testaments of Courage: Slecetions from Men's Slave Narratives. Danbry, Conn.: Watts, 1995. A collection of writings of male slaves that provide good primary source material. This work should be used along with Young's "All My Trials, Lord": Selections from Women's Slave Narratives (Wayyas, 1995). Visual and Performing Arts Resources Black Art Ancestral Legacy: The African Impulse in African American Art. Dallas: Dallas Museum of Art, 1989. The scope of African American history is presented through this well illustrated museum catalogue. The narrative which accompanies each of the works is well-developed and gives a vivid account of the historical event. McElroy, Guy C. Facing History: The Black Image in American Art, 1710-1940. San Francisco: Chronicle Books, 1990. The Corcoran Museum of Art in Washington, 18th through the first four decades of the 20th century. Facing History in an exceptional museum catalogue. Ebony described the work as an examination of "both the grotesquely dehumanizing images as well as the ground-breaking work of Black artist who helped change the face of Blacks in the visual arts." Myers, Walter Dean. One More River to Cross: An African American Photograph Album. San Diego, Calif.: Harcourt Brace, 1995. This book tells its story through extra large, unforgettable, photographs of African Americans from slavery to current times. Petersen, Karen. "American Women Artists: The Nineteenth Century." Santa Rosa, Calif.: National Women's History Project, n.d. This set of 80 slides documents the growing numbers of women painters and sculptors in the nineteenth century including the work of slave artists. |