A Place Called Freedom

by Scott Russell Sanders

After being set free from slavery in 1832, young James Starman and his family journey from Tennessee to Indiana to start a new life and over the years they are joined by so many blacks that they start their own town.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Historical Fiction, Historical

32 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1997

About the author

Scott Russell Sanders is the award-winning author of A Private History of Awe, Hunting for Hope, A Conservationist Manifesto, Dancing in Dreamtime, and two dozen other books of fiction, personal narrative, and essays. His father came from a family of cotton farmers in Mississippi, his mother from an immigrant doctor’s family in Chicago. He spent his early childhood in Tennessee and his school years in Ohio, Rhode Island, and Cambridge, England.

In his writing he is concerned with our place in nature, the practice of community, and the search for a spiritual path. He and his wife, Ruth, a biochemist, have reared two children in their hometown of Bloomington, in the hardwood hill country of southern Indiana. You can visit Scott at www.scottrussellsanders.com.

In August 2020, Counterpoint Press will publish his new collection of essays, The Way of Imagination, a reflection on healing and renewal in a time of climate disruption. He is currently at work on a collection of short stories inspired by photographs.

Reviews

[Shaeley Santiago · Rating 4 out of 5]

When a slave family is freed in Tennessee, they move north to Indiana where a Quaker family helps them get settled. Eventually more families join them in the town called Freedom.

[Elisabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a wonderful book both lyrically and artistically. A brilliant story and very useful for teachers, with just one drawback: It doesn't identify the real town it's based on. I had to find out from an Amazon review. It's especially confusing because there is a town called Freedom, Indiana, but it's not the town in this book. This book seems to be based on Lyles Station, Indiana.

Atheneum: Please add a historical note at the end on reprint so teachers can use this book in their curriculum.

[Diane · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story of James Starman's family, who were freed from slavery in 1832 and made their way from Tennessee to Indiana. After farming for a year, they were able to buy land and established a settlement for other black people. Soon, because so many people had gathered there, the railroad chose to run tracks through the village and Freedom, Indiana was born.

[Tam Newell · Rating 3 out of 5]

50 States book for Indiana. Story of the Starman family who helped slaves escape and created a new town in Indiana.

[Grace Livengood · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sanders, S. R., & Allen, T. B. (1997). A place called Freedom. New York, NY: Atheneum Books for Young Readers.
Many African American families were trying to escape the clutches of slavery during the 1830s, and this story follows one of those families who escape from the plantation in Tennessee and slowly find their way to a place called Freedom in Indiana. Through their journey, we see the obstacles they face but how their perseverance helped them make it to the town founded by free slaves called Freedom. The painted illustrations had many soft colors and helped odd to the secrecy theme of the plot itself. We learn a lot about slavery in school, but it was interesting getting to see a place that was founded for free slaves called Freedom that kept growing and growing and became a home for those that were once slaves. I thought this would be a good book to pair with lessons about slavery and allows students to see what these families and to go through in order to find the lives they wanted. It teaches a really good lesson of working really hard in order to find what you are looking for.

[Lucia Benzor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Would use this book when talking about life during the Reconstruction phase after the Civil War and how life was for former slaves. Gives lots of good details and illustrations to go with them. An inspiring story with a nice ending. I can also imagine using this book to help kids see the other side. If freed slaves were feeling and living a certain way, how were their former masters feeling and living now that their slaves were free? THinking about both sides could help students get an idea for what were the sentiments of the ocuntry at the time and how this led to more discrimination later on still with Jim Corw laws and such.

[Miss Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

prek-gr 2 picturebook

1830s Indiana 7 year old James Starman tells the story of how he and his parents and baby sister Lettie were freed by their master and journeyed north. In Indiana, they earned money working for a Quaker family and used it to buy land. As more people, freed and escaped slaves, their town grows until the railroad comes. Now their town needs a name. But what should they call it?

Great short story with great illustrations showing the different work of the members of the community (weaving, blacksmith, woodworking, etc)

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book, partially because it doesn't dwell on the issues of slavery, rather talks about what a group of freed slaves did and their achievements and struggles. It is an area that isn't always talked about.

[Tuyet Tran · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was about how slavery got their freedom and set their own land. They started go change their slavery name once they were set free from their masters and began a new life as a famer in the new field of Indiana.

slaves, farming, plantation, runaway slavery, education

[Brian Cave · Rating 5 out of 5]

A true story told of a family and their journey of freedom from Tennessee to Indiana. This book would relate well in our local classrooms, being that the book is in part about the state we live in. In Indiana, a group of freed slaves start their own community called Freedom.

[Katrina Yazzie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was interesting. It's about family relationships. This could be a good re aloud when you are doing a lesson plan on civil war. The boy came from Tennessee to Indiana. I like the illustrations they were light colored.

[Donald · Rating 3 out of 5]

good, but not as textured or rich as Pliiars or World without end.

[Rita · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great book to teach students about slavery and freedom.

[Larry Carter · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great book to cover another view of the civil war. It takes a look at what the life of a freed slave was like.

[Clara · Rating 3 out of 5]

A book about free slaves who now work in a farm. They now live like a regular family. Thomas' mom and dad decided to call their town, 'Freedom' . This book moved freely like an ocean water. :3

[Shawna]

This book would be great if you were to do a lesson on freedom during slavery in 1832. A young boy is telling his story of his family and the journey they traveled to be free.

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not as detailed as his other books, but still an enjoyable read.