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A Child's Anti-slavery Book
A Child's Anti-Slavery Book Containing a Few Words About American Slave Children and Stories of Slave-Life is a book written for children with an introduction about slave life and several stories by various authors. The introduction explains in simple terms why some children are free while others are born slaves. The language is simple yet conveys the author's message against the wickedness of slavery. Stories included are: Little Lewis - The Story of a slave Boy, Mark and Hasty, Aunt Judy's Story - A Story from Real Life, and Me Neber Give it Up. This would be an excellent book added to an Elementary school American history curriculum
72 pages, Paperback
First published May 5, 2006
About the author
Various
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If an editor is known, however, Various is not necessary. List the name of the editor as the primary author (with role "editor"). Contributing authors' names follow it.
Note: WorldCat is an excellent resource for finding author information and contents of anthologies.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
June 27, 2018
It's a short little book to teach white northern children why slavery is evil. Interesting for the historical reference.
June 29, 2018
Mark what I say! the sin of slavery does not lie merely in whipping, starving, or otherwise ill treating a human being, but in using him as property; in saying of him as you do of your dog: "He is my property. He is worth so much money to me. I will do what I please with him. I will keep him, use him, sell him, give him away, and keep all he earns, just as I choose."
To say that of a man is sin. You might clothe the man in purple, feed him on manna from heaven, and keep him in a palace of ivory, still, if you used him as your property, you would commit sin!
I must admit that I amused myself with thoughts how outraged slavers, anti abolitionists, ordinary citizens and even some "moderate" abolitionists would have been back in 1860s because of this little book. "Stop abolitionist propaganda!" "abolitionists agenda" "Anti-government and anti-American abolitionists poising our youth!" "Extreme abolitionists terrorize law abiding slave owners who have owned plantations for generations. " Some things never change.
Giving this book 4 stars for the foreword alone. The stories were not bad but nothing extraordinary. Personal favourite was the first one Little Lewis: the story of a slave boy by Julia Colman about a young slave who befriends his masters governess and she teaches him to read. Someone should totally write novel about Lewis and Miss Ford.
Miss Ford getting woke
Could it be that slavery was so bad, that she was surrounded by these suffering creatures, and was doing nothing for them? She made inquiries of others prudently, and found that it was even so, and more too; that even she herself was not at liberty to speak out her sentiments about it. But she could think, and she did think. The great law of human, God-given _right_ came up before her, and she acknowledged it. These poor creatures had a right to their own personal freedom, and she thought it would be doing God and humanity a service if she could help them to obtain that freedom. She did not know that in doing thus she would be sinning against the laws of her country, (!) and perhaps she would not have cared much if she had, for she was one of those independent souls that dare to acknowledge the law of right.
For months were these convictions gaining strength, but no opportunity occurred to assist any of them. Meanwhile she grew pensive and silent, oppressed by the helpless misery which she saw around her on every side.
To say that of a man is sin. You might clothe the man in purple, feed him on manna from heaven, and keep him in a palace of ivory, still, if you used him as your property, you would commit sin!
I must admit that I amused myself with thoughts how outraged slavers, anti abolitionists, ordinary citizens and even some "moderate" abolitionists would have been back in 1860s because of this little book. "Stop abolitionist propaganda!" "abolitionists agenda" "Anti-government and anti-American abolitionists poising our youth!" "Extreme abolitionists terrorize law abiding slave owners who have owned plantations for generations. " Some things never change.
Giving this book 4 stars for the foreword alone. The stories were not bad but nothing extraordinary. Personal favourite was the first one Little Lewis: the story of a slave boy by Julia Colman about a young slave who befriends his masters governess and she teaches him to read. Someone should totally write novel about Lewis and Miss Ford.
Miss Ford getting woke
Could it be that slavery was so bad, that she was surrounded by these suffering creatures, and was doing nothing for them? She made inquiries of others prudently, and found that it was even so, and more too; that even she herself was not at liberty to speak out her sentiments about it. But she could think, and she did think. The great law of human, God-given _right_ came up before her, and she acknowledged it. These poor creatures had a right to their own personal freedom, and she thought it would be doing God and humanity a service if she could help them to obtain that freedom. She did not know that in doing thus she would be sinning against the laws of her country, (!) and perhaps she would not have cared much if she had, for she was one of those independent souls that dare to acknowledge the law of right.
For months were these convictions gaining strength, but no opportunity occurred to assist any of them. Meanwhile she grew pensive and silent, oppressed by the helpless misery which she saw around her on every side.
May 23, 2018
Whoosh..... the scary thing about slavery
Is that it was its own worst enemy. This book was wisely written for children, and it might serve even today to give an idea of what slavery was like. Only problem is some of the underlying tendency to racism in some of the stories. The aboriginal Americans also get short shrifted. Still, it's one part of the historical debate and so must be included as such.
Is that it was its own worst enemy. This book was wisely written for children, and it might serve even today to give an idea of what slavery was like. Only problem is some of the underlying tendency to racism in some of the stories. The aboriginal Americans also get short shrifted. Still, it's one part of the historical debate and so must be included as such.
December 27, 2023
✔️Published in (unknown).
While this publication might have had good intentions, it does promote a few falsehoods that continue to this day.
One that stands out is:
What the author here neglects to state in that passage is that the Africans helped the English and the Portuguese, et al.
These are good assertions:
The author, Julia Colman, continues with stating that the
Indeed, “[God] made all men to be free and equal, as saith our Declaration of Independence. Hence, every negro child that is born is as free before God as the white child . . .”
Then continues in this publication some stories, such as LITTLE LEWIS: The Story of a Slave Boy. BY Julia Colman.
Though well-written – with great emotion and hyperbole – this book is of good historical value, to show the high emotion and some liberty-taking with facts. It will be shelved in my library for my further research.
🟣Kindle version.
🗑 Abandoned.
While this publication might have had good intentions, it does promote a few falsehoods that continue to this day.
One that stands out is:
. . . wicked men sailed from England and other parts of Europe to the coast of Africa. Sending their boats ashore filled with armed men, they fell upon the villages of the poor Africans, set fire to their huts, and, while they were filled with fright, seized, handcuffed, and dragged them to their boats, and then carried them aboard ship.
What the author here neglects to state in that passage is that the Africans helped the English and the Portuguese, et al.
These are good assertions:
But are all the children in America free like you? No, no! I am sorry to tell you that hundreds of thousands of American children are slaves. . . . Though born beneath the same sun and on the same soil, with the same natural right to freedom as yourselves, they are nevertheless SLAVES. Alas for them! Their parents cannot train them as they will, for they too have MASTERS.
The author, Julia Colman, continues with stating that the
“masters say to them [the servants]: "Your children are OURS—OUR PROPERTY! They shall not be taught to read or write; they shall never go to school; they shall not be taught to read the Bible; they must submit to us and not to you; we shall whip them, sell them, and do what else we please with them. They shall never own themselves. . .
Indeed, “[God] made all men to be free and equal, as saith our Declaration of Independence. Hence, every negro child that is born is as free before God as the white child . . .”
Then continues in this publication some stories, such as LITTLE LEWIS: The Story of a Slave Boy. BY Julia Colman.
Though well-written – with great emotion and hyperbole – this book is of good historical value, to show the high emotion and some liberty-taking with facts. It will be shelved in my library for my further research.
🟣Kindle version.
🗑 Abandoned.
October 25, 2012
An interesting piece, designed to teach (white) children to have compassion for slave children, and to understand that freedom is for everyone, not just white folks. Only just started reading.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews