Liberty or Death: The Surprising Story of Runaway Slaves who Sided with the British During the American Revolution Book

Middle School Historical Fiction:

Whitman Blair, Margaret (2010). Liberty or Death

Target audience: Ages 10-14

Setting: Years 1772 - 1808. Starting in the 13 colonies of North America, then Nova Scotia, Canada, and finally Sierra Leone, Africa

Characters/Plot/Summary: This book tells the story of slaves who ran away from their masters during the Revolutionary War in search of freedom and land. It narrates accounts of black Loyalist slaves who joined the British army when Lord Dunmore, governor of Williamsburg, Virginia, made a Proclamation that promised to free Loyalist slaves if they fought for the British. Many slaves fought courageously with the British troops, such as Colonel Tye, who helped steal provisions for the British. Many died in battle, while others died from terrible diseases such as smallpox. After the war, however, the promises made to the black Loyalist were not kept. Many of them moved to Nova Scotia in search of freedom and land, but they never received it. Others went to Sierra Leone with the same false promises. Although freedom was also harsh and difficult, by 1808 the British banned slavery in Sierra Leone and the black Loyalists were finally completely free.

Personal critique/strengths/weaknesses: The author was able to provide accurate historical accounts from the perspective of runaway slaves. There is a lot of information provided in a way that is easy to follow for the target audience. The language used is also appropriate. Although the scenes depicted can be disturbing, the author presented them in an appropriate manner. The Timeline and Resource Guide at the end of the book are also helpful to the reader.

Illustrations: This book includes various paintings and illustrations to depict the many scenes described in the text. Some paintings depict disturbing war scenes of death. All paintings and illustrations included depict life during the American Revolution giving a clear picture to the readers.

Education: Educators can use this book to teach about slavery and the Revolutionary War. It can provide students with a different perspective than most social studies textbooks usually show.