by Eric Foner
First published 1979
Gideon Jackson walks free from the plantation where he spent his first decades in bondage. The Civil War has ended and Reconstruction begins. Jackson discovers he can read and write. He learns about politics and voting rights. White landowners resist the changes sweeping through South Carolina. They form groups to intimidate black families and burn schools. Jackson runs for the state legislature. He wins his seat and travels to the capital. There he meets other former slaves who now hold office. They pass laws to build schools and protect voting rights. Violence erupts across the countryside. Jackson faces threats against his family. He must choose between his safety and his principles. The story follows one man's journey from slavery to citizenship during America's most turbulent decade.
Genres: american-civil-war, american-fiction, historical-fiction, 20th-century, 19th-century, african-american-historical-fiction, american-history
Vibes: intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: fish-out-of-water, found-family
Setting: South Carolina
Period: Civil War, Reconstruction
256 pages · Paperback · Futura
Content warnings: slavery, violence