   | Full Text Reviews: Booklist - 10/01/2016 Liberty is a difficult concept to define and becomes even more complex in the context of American history. Woelfle, an award-winning author of nonfiction, examines the challenges and contradictions of life for African Americans in the founding era—a time period supposedly defined by its quest for freedom. Short biographies of 13 eighteenth-century figures fill thematic sections on soldiers, women, and activists. The people included range from the obscure, such as patriot sailor Paul Cuffe, to the infamous, such as Sally Hemings, slave and mother of some of Thomas Jefferson’s children. Using these biographies as archetypes, Woelfle asserts that African Americans were not the one-dimensional slave figures so often painted in history books, but rather represented a range of vocations and political philosophies. This outstanding book is not just a history of African Americans but rather an honest look at the complicated, often hypocritical definitions that Americans have ascribed to the idea of liberty from our earliest days. - Copyright 2016 Booklist. School Library Journal - 10/01/2016 Gr 4–9—There is a dearth of resources available to students interested in the history and inner lives of free and enslaved African Americans in early U.S. history. This informational text uncovers a bit of that lost history through accounts and stories of 13 individuals who lived through or fought in the Revolutionary War while grappling with their own lack of freedom and autonomy. Through the use of personal testimonies, Woelfle presents an approachable but detailed narrative. Pull quotes in bold and simple but telling illustrations allow the work to flow like a storybook. Individuals profiled include Boston King, Agrippa Hull, James Armistead Lafayette, Phillis Wheatley, Elizabeth "Mumbet" Freeman, Prince Hall, Mary Perth, Ona Judge, Sally Hemings, Paul Cuffe, John Kizell, Richard Allen, and Jarena Lee. Each short profile examines the subject's family history, personal life, and fight for freedom. In the back matter, each individual covered receives an author's note, time line, bibliography, and source notes—encouraging readers to go further in their own exploration. VERDICT Researchers and history fans alike will surely appreciate this work that brings attention to a missing part of U.S. history. Recommended for libraries and classrooms that serve middle school students.—Nikitia Wilson, Queens Library, NY - Copyright 2016 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission. Loading...
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