Answering the Cry for Freedom: Stories of African Americans and the American Revolution
Age Range: 9 - 12 years
Grade Level: 4 - 7
2017 Carter G. Woodson Book Award
2017 Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People
For classroom and reading resources, click here.
SUMMARY
Uncover the lives of thirteen African-Americans who fought during the Revolutionary War.
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. They preached, spoke out, and wrote about the evils of slavery. 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.
REVIEWS
"Biographical sketches tell of 13 remarkable black men and women... (t)he well-told stories, illustrated with striking silhouettes by Christie, can be read independently of one another" —Kirkus Reviews
“Students will easily identify with the challenges faced by these notables…Teachers will love the extensively researched text, and librarians will love the in-text quotes, poems, journal excerpts, letters, epitaphs, testimonies, and other primary source content. Skillfully written by multiple award-winning author, Woelfle, and illustrated with pen and ink drawings by award-winning illustrator, Christie, this book…is ideally suited for all middle grades studying early American history, civil rights, and government. Highly Recommended.” —School Library Connection
“This outstanding book is not just a history of African Americans, but rather an honest look at the complicated, often hypocritical definitions that Americans have ascribed to the idea of liberty from our earliest days.” —Booklist
“Through the use of personal testimonies, Woelfle presents an approachable but detailed narrative. Pull quotes in bold and simple but telling illustrations allow the work to flow like a storybook. Researchers and history fans alike will surely appreciate this work that brings attention to a missing part of U.S. history.” —School Library Journal