Seeking Freedom: The Untold Story of Fortress Monroe and the Ending of Slavery in America

by Selene Castrovilla (Author) E B Lewis (Illustrator)

Reading Level: 4th − 5th Grade

In this dramatic Civil War story, a courageous enslaved fugitive teams with a cunning Union general to save a Union fort from the Confederates-and triggers the end of slavery in the United States. This is the first children's nonfiction book about a Black unsung hero who remains relevant today and to the Black Lives Matter movement.

On the night Virginia secedes from the Union, three enslaved men approach Fortress Monroe. Knowing that Virginia's secession meant they would be separated from their families and sent farther south to work for the Confederacy, the men decided to plead for sanctuary. And they were in luck.

The fort's commander, Benjamin Butler, retained them--and many more that followed--by calling them contraband of war. Butler depended on the contrabands to provide information about the Confederates. He found the perfect partner in George Scott, one of the contrabands, whose heroism saved the fort from enemy hands. And, it was the plight of the contrabands that convinced President Lincoln that slavery MUST be abolished and inspired him to write his Emancipation Proclamation, ending slavery in the rebellious states.

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Kirkus

The story of how two men and a fortress paved the way to freedom for an entire population. The succinct text allows the art to take center stage while relaying pertinent information... rich backmatter... gives a more in-depth look. The watercolor illustrations present eye-catching images... (a) dramatic, superbly illustrated account of a little-known story. 

ALA/Booklist

Starred Review
Besides telling [George] Scott's dramatic story, the narrative highlights [Benjamin] Butler's pivotal decision to regard people who escaped slavery as contraband--a legal strategy enabling the U.S. Army to protect them. With a muted palette featuring grays, greens, browns, and pale, tawny yellows, Lewis creates a series of haunting watercolor paintings that make Scott's story intense and memorable. This beautifully illustrated picture book enables readers to see the Civil War from a different point of view.

None

A true story from the Civil War offers insight into a little-known aspect of African American history. Castrovilla's straightforward narrative style makes the events readily accessible to readers who are interested in this complex era of American history. Lewis's atmospheric watercolors convey themes of urgency and humanity.

Publishers Weekly

Castrovilla spotlights the actions of a little-known contributor to the end of slavery: a Black freedom seeker named George Scott, who assisted white Maj. Gen. Benjamin Franklin Butler "to track down the Confederates" who threatened Fortress Monroe, a Union military base in Virginia, in 1861. Scott's heroic feat led Butler to write a letter to President Lincoln "arguing for Scott's liberty--and for that of all the contrabands," or the freedom seekers who sought refuge at the Fortress. Bolded headings track time as action-centered diction moves the plot forward: "Scott peered at the bridge to Fortress Monroe. He'd arrived to see eight more Negroes headed inside." Immersive watercolor art by Caldecott Honoree Lewis presents realistic portraits and natural landscapes with dramatic use of light and shadow in this well-paced historical narrative. Extensive back matter includes further historical context as well as a bibliography. Ages 7-10. (Jan.)

Copyright 2021 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.

Review quotes

"Castrovilla keeps the Scott/Butler story focused and taut, relegating historical context and legalese to well-organized end matter that also includes biographical sketches of the two protagonists. Lewis' atmospheric watercolors ably convey the tenebrous forest and battle settings in which Scott risked his life, highlighting the heroism of a man who slipped out of and then back into history's shadow." —Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

"Much of the history of Black people in this country has been omitted, ignored, or rendered insignificant by those who write about American history. Without that history, the American story and world history are grossly incomplete. Thankfully, today, more books are being published that accurately spotlight the Black experience. Seeking Freedom: The Untold Story of Fortress Monroe and the Ending of Slavery in America tells a story I did not know and is one that should be told!" —Wade Hudson, author of Defiant: Growing Up in the Jim Crow South and Recognize: An Anthology Honoring and Amplifying Black Life
Selene Castrovilla
Selene Castrovilla is an acclaimed, award-winning author. Her five books on the American Revolution for young readers include Scholastic's The Founding Mothers. Selene has been a meticulous researcher of American history since 2003. Please visit selenecastrovilla.com.
Classification
Non-fiction
ISBN-13
9781635925821
Lexile Measure
800
Guided Reading Level
-
Publisher
Calkins Creek Books
Publication date
January 04, 2022
Series
-
BISAC categories
JNF018010 - Juvenile Nonfiction | People & Places | United States - African-American
JNF025270 - Juvenile Nonfiction | History | United States - Civil War Period
JNF068000 - Juvenile Nonfiction | Spies & Spying
Library of Congress categories
History
African Americans
United States
Civil War, 1861-1865
Fort Monroe (Va.)
Butler, Benjamin F

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