Centering Black voices and the narratives of enslaved people, this
illustrated young adult history offers a thoroughly researched account
with first-hand testimonies of how people in bondage were themselves a
driving force behind their own emancipation.
Features 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
enslavers, that rebellion was rare, and that liberation from slavery
happened thanks to the enslavers.
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 enslaved people 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
