Freedom Over Me

Freedom Over Me: Eleven Slaves, Their Lives and Dreams Brought to Life by Ashley Bryan is a young adult picture book written and illustrated by Ashley Bryan, published by Atheneum Books for Young Readers in 2016. It is set in a slave-owning state in 1828 and describes the hopes and dreams of eleven slaves listed for sale. It was named a Newbery Honor book in 2017.

Freedom Over Me: Eleven Slaves, Their Lives and Dreams Brought to Life by Ashley Bryan
AuthorAshley Bryan
IllustratorAshley Bryan
LanguageEnglish
Set in1828, southern United States
PublisherAtheneum Books
Publication date
September 2016
Pages56
Awards2017 Newbery Honor
ISBN9781481456906
WebsitePublisher's website

Plot summary

The story starts with a poem recounting the thoughts of the slaveowner, Mrs. Mary Fairchilds; after her husband, Cado died, she has decided to have her property appraised to prepare it for sale; afterward, she intends to return to England. The book gives the names and appraised value of each of the 11 slaves owned by the Fairchilds, accompanied by two poems: one describing their work and another describing their dreams.

SlaveAgeValuePositionNameOrigin
Peggy 48150Cook Mariama
Stephen 32300Carpenter Yerodin Central Africa
Jane 28300Seamstress Serwaa West Africa
John 16100Child Osere America
Athelia 42175Laundress Adero
Charlotte 30400Basketmaker Bisa
Dora 8Child Akua America
Bacus 34250Blacksmith Abena
Qush 60100Herdsman/Laborer Kayode Yoruba
Mulvina 60100Field Niami
Betty 36150Flower gardener Temitope Yoruba

Development

The book was inspired by an actual appraisal dated July 5, 1828 in the author's collection; the appraisal listed names and values, but not ages.[1] The title is taken from the spiritual Oh, Freedom.[2]

Reception

In 2017, the American Library Association named Freedom Over Me to its list of Newbery Honor winners, alongside Adam Gidwitz's The Inquisitor's Tale and Lauren Wolk's Wolf Hollow.[3]

References
  1. Ashley Bryan (September 13, 2016). "Ashley Bryan's "Freedom over Me" | An Interview". School Library Journal (Interview). Retrieved 18 March 2019.
  2. Bird, Elizabeth (June 30, 2016). "Review of the Day: Freedom Over Me by Ashley Bryan". A Fuse 8 Production (blog). School Library Journal. Retrieved 18 March 2019.
  3. "American Library Association announces 2017 youth media award winners" (Press release). American Library Association. January 30, 2017. Retrieved 16 March 2019.
  • Bryan, Ashley. "Books". ashleybryancenter.com. Retrieved 18 March 2019.
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