Tending to the Past: Selfhood and Culture in Children's Narratives about Slavery and Freedom

Stereotypes of victimization and the heroic efforts of a few individuals abound in popular depictions of Black resistance to slavery. Tending to the Past: Selfhood and Culture in Childrens Narratives about Slavery and Freedom examines Black-authored historical novels and films for children that counter this distortion and depict creative means by which ordinary African Americans survived slavery and racism in early America. It argues that freedom narratives call on young readers to be active, critical thinkers about the past and its legacies.

Format: Hardback
Length: 277 pages
Publication date: 15 January 2024
Publisher: University Press of Mississippi

In numerous prevalent portrayals of Black resistance to slavery, prevalent stereotypes surrounding victimization and the valiant endeavors of a limited few individuals prevail. These notions disregard the influence of ordinary families and obfuscate the systematic workings of racism.

Tending to the Past: Selfhood and Culture in Children's Narratives about Slavery and Freedom delves into Black-authored historical novels and films for children that challenge this distortion, presenting innovative strategies employed by ordinary African Americans to endure slavery and racism in early America.

Tending to the Past contends that this significant, yet understudied historical genre, freedom narratives, urges young readers to engage in active and critical thinking about the past and its enduring legacies in the present. The book explores how narratives crafted by children's book authors, including Joyce Hansen, Julius Lester, Marilyn Nelson, and Patricia McKissack, as well as filmmakers Charles Burnett and Zeinabu irene Davis, were influenced by Black cultural imperatives, such as the Black Arts Movement, to cultivate a socially engaged and culturally aware public. Through meticulous analysis of this extensive body of work, Tending to the Past makes valuable contributions to ongoing endeavors to establish a comprehensive history of Black children's literature and film that recognizes its diversity, distinctiveness, and profound depths.

Tending to the Past offers insightful interpretations that assist scholars and educators in recognizing the significance of the reconstructions of freedom narratives in the context of a neoliberal era, characterized by limited opportunities for many African Americans. It provides valuable models for comprehending the powers and ongoing relevance of Black children's creative agency and the cultural practices that have nurtured it.

Dimension: 229 x 152 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781496845931