Captain of the Planter

by Dorothy Sterling

Book by Sterling, Dorothy

Genres: Nonfiction

Library Binding

First published January 1, 1960

About the author

Dorothy Sterling (Dannenberg) was a Jewish-American writer and historian.

She was born and grew up in New York City, attended Wellesley College, and graduated from Barnard College in 1934. After college, she worked as a journalist and writer in New York for several years. In 1937, she married Philip Sterling, also a writer. In the 1940s, she worked for Life Magazine for 8 years. In early 1968, 448 writers and editors including Dorothy put a full-page ad in the New York Post declaring their intention to refuse to pay taxes for the Vietnam War.

Dorothy was the author of more than 30 books, mainly non-fiction historical works for children on the origins of the women's and anti-slavery movements, civil rights, segregation, and nature, as well as mysteries. She has won several awards for her writings, including the Carter G. Woodson Book Award from the National Council For The Social Studies For The Trouble They Seen: Black People Tell The Story Of Reconstruction, in 1976.

Reviews

[Kristina · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is an amazing read for children and any adults who don't mind a narrative story instead of straight biography. I am personally pretty upset that I never heard of this man until after age 30. What an amazing life and legacy for our entire country is described here.

From cotton fields to Civil War to reconstruction, to Jim Crow, to systematic disenfranchisement of black voters, Captain Smalls' life covered vast and important events, so much so, that I am having my child read this for our Civil War year instead of the biography of Lincoln I thought I would use. The level of understanding one comes away with in terms of the political climate in regards to race and the events of the 19th century on the Eastern seaboard is top notch.

Additionally, there is an extensive bibliography in the back, as well as acknowledgement of the interviews granted the author by Smalls' son. It was published in 1968, so ends with talking about the newly minted attempts at desegregation. Of course, "negro" is used throughout, just due to age.

[Wetdryvac Wetdryvac · Rating 4 out of 5]

Has a story-telling rather than historical fact approach I alternately find fun and annoying. Decent background, though - and an excellent bibliography. I love when authors show their sources.

[Ivy Hamerly · Rating 5 out of 5]

The amazing story of Robert Smalls. He grew up in slavery. His mother wanted to be sure he understood the horror of his true situation so took him to the auction blocks. He had food to eat and clothes to wear, but the auction block baldly revealed the brutality and evil of slavery. He worked multiple jobs in a city and his "owners" took his wages and did not care how he supported himself. He married, but lamented that his children were born into slavery. He was a gifted boat pilot and the boat he worked on (the Planter) was converted into a Confederate gunship. He made a plan to get his crew and as many of their family members on board. It was very dangerous, but they managed to steal the Planter and use the confederate signals to make their way to Union-controlled territory. He was paid for delivering a confederate gunship, but he realized they paid him a fraction of the going rate simply because he was black. He got to meet President Lincoln. He ran for Congress and was elected before black Americans won the right to vote. He had an amazing life.

My only complaint is that this book is really difficult to find. It's been out of print for a long time. I checked it out from the special collection of an academic library. I wish the publisher would reprint it.