From Slave Ship to Freedom Road Book

"Nigger.They called us that from our first cry to our last breath. It ain't nothing but a word, some might say, but words hurt like whips and they leave scars you can't see and what don't never heal." (Pg.12)

Powerful, beautiful, and so real'this illustrated history of slavery is a gem for real I am so glad I decided to read this nonfiction selection I mistakenly on first glance designated as a readaloud but after going through it realize it is definitely more of a research text and one to savor and enjoy not a story per se but a documentation of the hardship and heartache of Africans being taken from their home, stripped of all they know...A people existing at the mercy of those who saw them as less than and property to do with as they wish..It is definitely the most gut wrenching, senseless and emotionally shameful portions of history I feel I can never know enough about..this slave trade from 1518 to 1865 according to this book..You don't have to know much to empathize with this horror and the illustrations really take you there and it was a truly engaging experience..The writing here is top notch with questions and experiences that really make you think and visualize how you would feel and what makes being a descendant from a slave a shameful and not a prideful fact for all African Americans…
"All of us need to understand who we are and what our place is in the scheme of things. Through stories we alight on the meaning and significance of our lives." (Pg.27)
"The only way to cross over fear is to do what you are afraid of doing." (Pg. 30)
"Ultimately no one can free anyone else. You have to free yourself. Somebody else can unlock the door and even push it ajar, but they can't walk through it for you. You have to do that." (Pg. 35)
This book was amazing, so powerful and so honest about its depiction of African Americans and their plight'there are engaging exercises, hypotheticals and examples of empathy you can teach with or read upon for reflection..I learned a lot from this one and hope my scholars can to..A well-deserved Five Star read and my first of the year!'highly recommended for sure!