by Virginia Hamilton
Hamilton, V. (1985). The people could fly: the picture book. New York: Alfred A. Knopf.
The people of Africa who knew magic could fly...until they were taken across the ocean against their will to be slaves. They toiled in cotton fields under the supervision of an abusive overseer who whipped them mercilessly. When a woman with a baby could take no more, old man Toby recited the magic words that allowed her to fly to freedom. Soon a young heat-exhausted man, then others, followed.
This folktale was originally published in 1985 as part of a collection. As a tribute to the author after her death in 2002, it was published as a stand-alone picture book with new illustrations by the artists of the initial book. The story tells the heart-wrenching history of slavery, which stole the freedom of those in Africa. In my opinion, flight is used in the story to represent freedom. Initially, the characters had beautiful black wings, but once they were captured, they lost them. I think that those who flew away later without wings represent those who escaped slavery by running away and possibly those who utilized the Underground Railroad to do so. This is a great book for introducing the topic of slavery and for discussion groups regarding individual rights, freedom, and a dark period in the history of our nation.
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Author, Virginia Hamilton's website: http://www.virginiahamilton.com/
Jos Duncan's version of The People Could Fly:
The people of Africa who knew magic could fly...until they were taken across the ocean against their will to be slaves. They toiled in cotton fields under the supervision of an abusive overseer who whipped them mercilessly. When a woman with a baby could take no more, old man Toby recited the magic words that allowed her to fly to freedom. Soon a young heat-exhausted man, then others, followed.
This folktale was originally published in 1985 as part of a collection. As a tribute to the author after her death in 2002, it was published as a stand-alone picture book with new illustrations by the artists of the initial book. The story tells the heart-wrenching history of slavery, which stole the freedom of those in Africa. In my opinion, flight is used in the story to represent freedom. Initially, the characters had beautiful black wings, but once they were captured, they lost them. I think that those who flew away later without wings represent those who escaped slavery by running away and possibly those who utilized the Underground Railroad to do so. This is a great book for introducing the topic of slavery and for discussion groups regarding individual rights, freedom, and a dark period in the history of our nation.
🕮🕮🕮🕮🕮🕮🕮🕮🕮🕮🕮🕮🕮🕮🕮🕮🕮🕮🕮🕮🕮🕮🕮🕮🕮🕮🕮🕮🕮🕮🕮🕮🕮🕮🕮🕮🕮
Author, Virginia Hamilton's website: http://www.virginiahamilton.com/
Jos Duncan's version of The People Could Fly:
