Shackles of a Freeman by Don Alexander

Readers will make note of how seldom I drift toward historical fiction. One salient example occurred some years ago, with my enthusiastic appraisal of Six Days in September…all about the Antietam Campaign, fictionalized by the knowing Alex Rossino, who has also taken up the pen of a historian with great elucidation. Now and again, I take a crack at something less academic than entertaining, but with an eye toward situating the story in historical context as an exercise in understanding - to peer into lived history in real time through the eyes of a dramatic player.

Most recently, Don Alexander’s Shackles of a Freeman: The Untold Story of Lewis Sheridan Leary piqued my interest - especially since I just returned from the site of Leary’s most conspicuous intersection with history: Harper’s Ferry, West Virginia and John Brown’s raid - the culmination of this story. I found the telling of this story at once lively and accessible - taking on all the practicality of a morality play, but with sensitivity to a complicated history and the difficult decisions the historical actors surely faced: Leary, the son of a free well-to-do black family in the antebellum South serves as the unlikely hero, grappling with notions of right and justice as he leaves his life of privilege on an abolitionist quest - a crusade really - to free not himself, but a people. The story is significant and essential in the lead-up to the Civil War - and the issues vastly more complex that one might imagine at first blush. As such I would particularly recommend this book for younger readers.

Historical fiction such as this, in my estimation, provides a valuable entry point for students to confront the dominant contentions of the antebellum era, it likewise offers a subject matter for engaged and meaningful discussion. For example, The book presents characters dealing with ethical dilemmas and moral choices. Students can analyze these dilemmas, consider different perspectives, and reflect on the consequences of their decisions. So, immersing young readers in the lives and experiences of people from this period encourages them to see the world from multiple perspectives and develop a deeper understanding of the events. Finally, the themes in Shackles of a Freeman provide students with opportunities for critical thinking, empathy development, and a deeper understanding of this historical period and its relevance to the present day. As they will surely see - this story is loaded with nuggets for classroom discussion.

Years ago, The Atlantic asked what I thought to be a pretty riveting question: were John Brown and his compatriots heroes or terrorists? This is a great starting point that will compel students to think deeply about the events leading up to and especially the watershed moment at Harper’s Ferry. Shackles of a Freeman would be a nice addition to the conversation.

With compliments,

Keith