Traveling the Freedom Road: From Slavery and the Civil War Through Reconstruction - Hardcover

Linda Barrett Osborne is the author of several books for children and on African American history. She is a senior writer and editor in the Library of Congress’s Publishing Office. The library’s vast resources include the most comprehensive collection of images and manuscripts in the world from this period.

*Starred Review* Published in association with the Library of Congress, where Osborne is a senior writer and editor, this fascinating, well-designed volume offers an essential introduction to the experiences of African Americans between 1800 and 1877. Osborne further narrows her topic by focusing on the lives of young people, beginning with the story of teenage sisters who escaped slavery in Washington, D.C., endured recapture, and, after winning their freedom, went on to become active abolitionists. Throughout, Osborne moves from similar, personal stories to broader historical milestones, and in highly accessible language, she provides basic background even as she challenges readers with philosophical questions: “Why did the Constitution, the basic rules that govern the United States, allow slavery in the first place?” This fluid exchange between political events and intimate, human stories creates a highly absorbing whole that is made even stronger by the many young peoples’ first-person recollections of the time period, culled from primary source materials. These voices create a sense of immediacy that’s echoed in the exceptional selection of well-reproduced visuals, including photographs, magazine illustrations, and etchings. A concise time line, source notes, and a bibliography close the chapters. This unique, powerful, and clear overview contains valuable insights for readers of all ages and backgrounds. Grades 6-9. --Gillian Engberg