Ramifications of Slavery
The narrative begins with a young girl seeking to know and understand the history of their ancestors. Rather than start the story from the beginning of slavery, the grandmother delves back to the roots of black ancestry. The poems highlight the consequences of slavery, in that, it stripped away the heritage and origins of the enslaved people. These implications continue to the present day since the reality of slavery echoes generations after it ended. By recounting the trauma and horrors of slavery, they confront the past and allow for healing to take place. Moreover, the stories humanize and liberate black people by acknowledging that slavery is not the beginning of their history.
Reframing American History
The collection of poems aims to retell American history from the perspective of black people. As a children’s book, the writer has to package the narrative in a manner that does not conceal the truth about slavery yet be accessible to a younger audience. This allows for a sense of pride by recognizing the contribution of black people during this period that took their human dignity. The book uses evocative images and language to give texture to the story that has been left untold or misrepresented in mainstream history. The poems celebrate black history by reframing the meaning of black origin and this existence that was detached from the ugly past. In the same way that other Americans have a rich origin story, black people have one that needs to be reclaimed in the history books.
Black Resistance
The book is a testament to the resilience and fortitude of black people through the tribulations in history. Therefore, the survival of African-Americans amid the traumatic American past is the bigger message of the book to the younger audience. The poetry emphasizes their ability to survive due to the sense of community from their African origins that has persisted. Drawing from her essay “America Wasn't a Democracy until Black Americans Made It One” Hannah-Jones explores the political influence of black Americans. As such, the text highlights the fight and resistance of African-Americans that made America live up to its full potential. The country was meant to be the land of the free, so it required the right effort from oppressed groups for this democracy to be a reality.
