Working for Freedom

This title is suitable for the children of ages 9 to 12 years. In one man's struggle for dignity and human rights, Josiah Henson's life is an epic tale as he battles against evil, dishonesty, greed, and ignorance. As a small child, he saw his father whipped for defending his mother against an attack by a white overseer. When he was nine, the family's owner beat him for trying to learn to read, and as a young man, he was viciously attacked in a barroom brawl. Yet in spite of his physical pain and emotional heartache, Josiah never lost his faith or the sense of morality that was his bedrock. As a slave, Josiah served his master well. It was only when cheated out of money he had earned to buy his manumission (freedom) papers that Josiah fled with his family to Canada. After his escape, Josiah became an outspoken advocate for those still in bondage. "Working for Freedom" is the story of a man who proved that one person can make a difference in seeking, defending, and promoting human rights. But most of all, it is a human story of love, loyalty, regret, betrayal, weakness, strength, and, ultimately, triumph in the face of seemingly insurmountable odds.