During Civil War Day, our children were enthralled with seeing a hiding place from the underground railroad. Then, a month later, when we visited the Smithsonian
National Museum of American History, one of the first exhibits the children explored was entitled "Slavery at Jefferson's Monticello: Paradox of Liberty." Again, their interest was sparked.
So, instead of just choosing one book about slavery, the underground railroad, and freedom, I opted to borrow five from our library. These were used as a preview to our upcoming history lessons.
Two books I read aloud to all our children. They were...
- Freedom Song: The Story of Henry "Box" Brown, by Sally M. Walker - a lyrical story about Henry's journey to freedom.
- Moses: When Harriet Tubman Led Her People to Freedom, by Carole Boston Weatherford - a beautiful tribute to Harriet Tubman, covering her journey north and her involvement with the underground rairlroad.
While reading both books, I cried as we read of families being separated and dangers faced to get to freedom.
Three other books were checked our for our older children to read. They were...
- With a Banjo on My Knee: A Musical Journey From Slavery to Freedom, by Dr. Rex Ellis
- Abraham Lincoln & Frederick Douglass: The Story Behind an American Friendship, by Russell Freedman
We'll be studying slavery, underground railroad, and freedom over the next several months as we begin our formal history lessons again soon.
I just read William Henry is a Fine Name. It was in the YA section of the library. I'd say in another year or two your oldest may be interested in it, but it did have some brutality in it...chopping off a runaway slave's foot...and then his bleeding to death.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Annette! I will definitely look into your suggestion. I try to keep a list of books and resources for future usage. This one does sound a bit tough to read, but when they are older and more mature, probably a good one to read and discuss.
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