Centering Black voices and slave narratives, this illustrated
young adult history offers a thoroughly researched account with
first-hand testimonies of how slaves themselves were a driving force
behind their own emancipation. With a new introduction by Robin D. G.
Kelley.
“[Breaking the Chains] will force many readers to
reexamine their assumptions about American history….Young adults
will be fascinated and better informed for having experienced this
book.” –School Library Journal, starred review
Generations of American history students have grown up believing that
enslaved people accepted their lot and became attached to their
masters, that slave rebellion was rare, and that liberation from
slavery happened thanks to the enslavers.
Centering Black voices and slave narratives, celebrated historian and
children’s book author, William Loren Katz offers a thoroughly
researched look at the lives of enslaved people in the United States
in Breaking the Chains. From their African abductions through
their brave resistance to and escape from the ships and harsh
plantation life to their roles in the Civil War, those given voice
here show that the slaves themselves were a driving force behind
their emancipation.
This compelling look at history is an educational eye-opener for
history buffs of all ages, and offers clarity on one of the most
turbulent periods of US history. This new paperback edition features
a new introduction by historian Robin D. G. Kelley.
“Katz masterfully steers the reader step by step through the
astonishing forms of resistance, both active and passive. . . .
powerful and authentic.” –Publishers Weekly