Marc A. Jackson Books

A Black boy is born in the 1850s in Memphis, Tennessee to Free Black parents. We follow him through The Civil War and Reconstruction. The book goes into detail about the political and emotional landscape of the time. His morals, knowledge, and spiritual base are put to the test as a tragedy occurs that alters his course in life. An unusual alliance puts him in various unique adventures with consequences that further shape his maturity. The book follows two trajectories. On one hand, it is a coming-of-age fictional adventure story of an exceptional trio of teens as they try to understand what the future holds for them. Parallel to this storyline is a well-documented history of American political and social upheaval that transpired during this time period. I feel this book can be read by a student as young as ten years old with the assistance of a dictionary and a parent to help them understand the significance of the events written. Young adults and older can glean much from this novel also, as many situations in our current political environment are a mirror of those recounted in much of this story.