Black Was the Ink

by Michelle Coles, Justin Johnson (Illustrator)

"A dynamic look at how the past informs the future." -- Kirkus Reviews

Through the help of a ghostly ancestor, sixteen-year-old Malcolm is sent on a journey through Reconstruction-era America to find his place in modern-day Black progress in this compelling YA debut by civil rights attorney Michelle Coles.

Forgotten heroes still leave their mark.

Malcolm Williams hasn't been okay for a while. He's angry and despondent and feels like nothing good ever happens for teens like him in D.C. All he wants is to be left alone in his room for the summer to draw or play video games--but no such luck. With growing violence in his neighborhood, his mother ships him off to his father's family farm in Mississippi, and Malcolm is anything but pleased.

A few days after his arrival, his great-aunt tells him that the State is acquiring the farm to widen a highway. It's not news Malcolm is concerned about, but someone plans to make it his concern. One minute Malcolm is drawing in the farmhouse attic, and the next he's looking through the eyes of his ancestor Cedric Johnson in 1866.

As Cedric, Malcolm meets the real-life Black statesmen who fought for change during the Reconstruction Hiram Revels, Robert Smalls, and other leaders who made American history. But even after witnessing their bravery, Malcolm's faith in his own future remains shaky, particularly since he knows that the gains these statesmen made were almost immediately stripped away. If those great men couldn't completely succeed, why should he try?

Malcolm must decide which path to take. Can Cedric's experiences help him construct a better future? Or will he resign himself to resentments and defeat?

Perfect for fans of Jason Reynolds and Nic Stone, and featuring illustrations by upcoming artist, Justin Johnson, Black Was the Ink is a powerful coming-of-age story and an eye-opening exploration of an era that defined modern America.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Young Adult, Fiction, Social Justice, Contemporary, Realistic Fiction, Historical

370 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 2, 2021

About the author

Michelle Coles is a debut novelist, experienced civil rights attorney, and mother of four. As a 9th generation Louisianan, she is highly attuned to the struggles that African Americans have faced in overcoming the legacy of slavery and the periods of government-sanctioned discrimination that followed. She is a proud alumna of Howard University School of Law and the University of Virginia. Her goal in writing is to empower young people by educating them about history and giving them the tools to shape their own destiny. She lives in Maryland with her family.

Reviews

[Alex Nonymous · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thanks to the publisher for providing an eARC of Black Was the Ink in exchange for an honest review.

Black Was the Ink follows 16 year old Malcolm after moving to stay in an old familial home leads to him waking up in the body of his ancestor allowing him to meet real life Black activists of the past and use those lenses to examine Black rights of the present.

From an educational perspective, this was really well done. Actual historical figures and events are integrated in a way that makes total sense plot wise and after the actual story ends, Michelle Coles includes bios on all the historical figures she features to further education.

As a caveat to that, Black Was the Ink is sold as "For fans of Nic Stone and Jason Reynolds" which I don't think is really accurate besides the fact that Stone and Reynolds works also often deal with Black rights and activism. Stone and Reynolds write YA in a way that can extend to adults but Black Was the Ink felt like a YA book that would be best enjoyed by middle grade readers. That's not a negative on the book itself, but I think it could end up letting readers down. (if you are looking for similar comparisons, if you liked Ghost Boys by Jewell Parker Rhodes you'll probably also like this)

[Raymond · Rating 4 out of 5]

“I’d much rather know our history, good and bad, so we can move toward a brighter future together instead of repeating the mistakes of our past.” -Black Was The Ink

Malcolm Williams is a 16-year-old Black young man from Washington DC. After having a run-in with an episode of gun violence and the police, his mom sends him down to Mississippi to spend time with his extended family for the summer. It will be a summer he never forgets!

While in Mississippi he meets his extended family: his Great-Aunt Carol, Great-Uncle Leroy, and Uncle Corey. During his time in Mississippi, he also learns about the period of Reconstruction through the help of a ghost: Malcolm’s ancestor Cedric Johnson. Cedric transports Malcolm back in time to meet the first Black congressmen that Cedric worked for and to experience the triumphs and pitfalls of Reconstruction.

It’s a compelling and inspiring story! A very interesting way to tell this history in the genre of a YA novel. I think it's an accessible book for readers of all ages. Go check it out!!!

[Jahmier Harris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Vocabulary:

Umpteenth-Number-3-Limited
used to emphasize that something has happened on many other occasions.
“Aunt Carol crossed and uncrossed her legs for the umpteenth time…”(coles 13)

Emblazoned-Verb-4-Discolor, Colorlessness
conspicuously inscribe or display a design on.
“Malcolm walked over and pulled out a bright blue Johnson Family Reunion T-shirt emblazoned with an outline of the state of Mississippi.”(cole 26)

Quizzically-Adj-3-Trustfully
(of a person's expression or behavior) indicating mild or amused puzzlement.
“He looked at the shirt quizzically, questioning how much this family reunion really had to do with him.”(Cole 26)

Provocatively-Adj-3-Soothing, Calming
causing annoyance, anger, or another strong reaction, especially deliberately
“Which civil rights movement?” Malcom asked provocatively.”(coles 298)

Superimposed-Adj-4-Underlying
placed or laid over something else, typically so that both things are still evident
“He couldn’t help but see D.C. the way it was in the 1870s superimposed over the way it looked now.”(Coles 332).

Review

One significant quote in “Black Was the Ink” by Michelle Coles is when Malcolm is asking Professor Rogers about Reconstruction and says, “Yeah. I, uh, recently learned about a time after the Civil War when Black people had all sorts of rights. They were voting and holding office and had money and businesses, and it looked like maybe Black people were going to be all right in this country, but something happened because—“ Malcom paused. “Well, just look at us,” he said, throwing his hands up in the air.”(Coles 299). This quote is significant because it shows the urge to know about black history and the culture of Malcolm’s people.


The book “Black was the ink” by Michelle Coles is about a 16 year old that’s going through a very rough time in his life and is finding his way. I rate this book a 5/5 because of how realistic and eye-opening it is. The story is very relatable when talking about the trouble Malcolm gets into being from a rough neighborhood, the hard work Malcolm has to put in when he gets to Mississippi, meeting unknown family members, wanting to know more about black history, and learning from past mistakes. There are many ways to get into trouble when being in a bad environment with bad influences as it says in the book, “The final straw came when some guys shot up the basketball court where he and his best friend, Damian, had been playing hoops…he and Damian were arrested as suspects.”(Coles 2-3). This has happened to me and around me multiple times coming from Inglewood and LA. There is a higher chance of getting shot, killed, and/or arrested than there is being successful. Also, the book states, “I hope those’re not your favorite sneakers. They ain’t gonna be nearly as pretty when we done.”(Coles 6). This quote is very funny and nostalgic because this has happened numerous times to me and friends of mine. In addition, I relate to the story when Aunt Carol says, “I just got a call from the prison about your uncle Corey. He’s being released today…Uncle who? Malcolm said confused.”(Coles 10). I have uncles in prison that I’ve never met that are in prison and have no recollection of them ever because I was so little. Next there is when Malcolm asked Professor Rogers about the Reconstruction. This is my favorite part of the book because every young black boy and girl has seen what black people are going through with all of the protests and riots. This shows that at a young age our youth wants to know the whole story. Finally, I’m chapter 56 when Michelle Coles wrot, “He couldn’t help but see D.C. the way it was in the 1870s superimposed over the way it looked now.”(Coles 332). I’ve experienced this many times after learning more about my city and where I come from. This shows that everything is being taken in and there’s an understanding. In conclusion, Malcolm had been through a little rough patch in his life, but made his way through it.

[Rose Stewart · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[Jeanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

It took me awhile to get into this. The story was good, but the writing style was very YA (in a not good way) for an adult audience. It's better for younger readers, which is the intended readership, I expect. As an adult reader, the triteness of the writing, the cliched phrases that were jarring coming from this young man's thoughts - I found it was distracting me from the narrative line. Also there needed to be a bit more editing for proper grammar. The difference between "too" and "to"? REALLY NOW. By the end, however, I was totally rooting for the protagonist, and for his family.
As for the history, I am absolutely in favor of these stories being told - I certainly never heard about any of these events in my schooling. This book should be required reading in elementary classes, esp. in conservative areas. [ Ha - Not a chance of that. ]

[Mary Lynne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Here is a perfect book to begin Black History month.
Powerful, enlightening and devastating in it’s coverage of black history from the end of the Civil War (through time travel) to modern times.
Recommended for High School students but an important read for anyone.

[Tia · Rating 4 out of 5]

In all honesty, I picked this one because it was one of the first audiobooks I saw was available for a week when I had a lot of driving to do. I didn’t realize it was a YA novel when I borrowed it, and I didn’t really know what it was about beyond the guesses I made based off of the cover.

It sounded like a goofy premise: a kid being able to time travel in a way? And talk to ghosts? But it was such a great story! These premises allowed for historical figures and events to be introduced in such real and enthralling ways.

I did find the writing a bit clunky, but again, didn’t realize it was a YA novel. It was a fantastic story, though, with great characters and helped illuminate the centuries of Black history that has been whitewashed and watered down to what we are taught in schools. The parallels drawn between the Reconstruction era and now was also so enlightening: from building a life after slavery, to facing microaggressions and unfair treatment in the current justice system. While the struggles might have changed appearance over time, they persist for BIPOC, and this was a poignant reminder that there is still so much work to be done.

This is a fantastic book and really sparked an interest in me, a former “why do we need to have history classes?” kid, to do my own research about Reconstruction and some of the other big ideas in the book.

I also loved the characters and am sure that seeing a “troubled” Black teenager make change would have been so inspiring when I was middle/high school aged!

[Charlotte · Rating 4 out of 5]

best fictional history lesson about the Reconstruction I ever read, told through the experiences of a time-travelling black modern teenaged boy. Read it mostly in a single sitting, and feel like I was hit with a ton of emotionally weighty bricks.

[Lulu · Rating 5 out of 5]

This should be read and owned by every one in America! I feel that it needs to be part of Jr. high and High school curriculum. I loved how the author was able to take so much history from the Reconstruction period…that no one every talks about…and break it down on a YA level.

[Emmie Marigold · Rating 3 out of 5]

The bios are interesting. However, this heavy YA. Like, not really readable for an older audience imo.

[J C0llier · Rating 4 out of 5]

While focused on this Black teenager's and his family's experience, I think anyone can relate to this story. It's great historical fiction for young adults, the young at heart, or someone interested in American history.

[Monica · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great story to show some of the history we miss from the Reconstruction era. Occasionally a bit too didactic with too much emphasis on "tell" rather than "show," but overall a great look at how history can impact the present.

[Angelique W · Rating 4 out of 5]

This should have been my history book in school. Like the main character Malcolm, my knowledge of the black history taught in school was limited, or better yet non-existent. Anything I learned was as an adult, but with the book, I learned so much more and about people I never knew existed, so for that I am grateful. It was a long read (56 chapters) which is a lot for students, so I would use this book as a text in a black history class. Maybe assign a research project, having students take one of the biographical characters highlighted at the end of the novel or a project on the Reconstruction era. The novel can be a bit of an information overload, but necessary!

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although it took me a few pages to get into the rhythm of this book, which I would rate 3.5, eventually I did and found myself flying through the pages to see what might happen next. Plus, it almost goes without saying, given the history curriculum taught in most schools, that I learned a lot about our nation's history and Reconstruction through the book's pages. Reconstruction was not a topic covered thoroughly or respectfully, if at all, in the history curriculum used in the Southern schools I attended. I had often wondered why it took so long for the changes that seemed so promising after slavery ended to occur, and I found some of the answers here. The plot concerns sixteen-year-old Malcolm Williams who lives in Washington, DC with his mother. After incidents of violence come close to home, she sends him to Mississippi to spend the summer with his paternal relatives. Aunt Carol and Uncle Leroy are welcoming, of course, but they expect him to do some chores around the farm. Although Malcolm is bored and restless at first, eventually he comes to appreciate their way of life, especially when he stumbles upon the diary of Cedric Johnson, one of his ancestors, who recorded his thoughts and experiences from the 1860s and 1870s during Reconstruction. Reading the diary enables Malcolm to understand history in a way he never has, and the way he shifts into Cedric's shoes and travels back in time allows him to meet many of the important Black figures of that time and appreciate their efforts to make the nation live up to its promises. At times, Malcolm isn't sure whether he is coming or going, but he creates sketches of some of what he is seeing. He has help in modern times [2015] from Jasmine, a neighbor's daughter, and from a white ally, Jason, who started out as an enemy. Although I'm not convinced that a ruling on naming a place as a conditional site for the National Register of Historic Places could be accomplished so quickly, I was pleased to see Malcolm achieve a victory and have his efforts rewarded. Clearly, he returns home a changed man and one eager to work for change. Although parts of the book are dense and require readers to piece together various events and individuals, it is filled with information not found in today's history books and history well worth knowing. The author's inclusion of some of the actual words of some of those historical figures might make the read more challenging than the typical YA fare, but it's certainly worth the time and effort. It's hard not to look at today's events without also looking at what happened more than a century ago and asking questions.

[Paoo · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would rate this book a 3.5 it was really different than what I expected. This book takes you back in time during the Reconstruction reading when states men fought for change of black people. Sadly Malcolm sees the reality & realized history is much worse than he ever expected for his people. Everything begins when he stumble across his Cedrics diary talking about all his Iife. From being taken back into the past Malclmb is able to save his family's house that has been around for years!
It was a good book that really helps educated with the future. Something I was just a little confused with the past and present.

[Enthusiastic Reader · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really wanted to enjoy this. The diary was very expositional, and those sections were long enough to keep me from having much of a chance to connect with the main character. I feel like this would have been better as a non-fiction book with a series of short essays about the historical people and events featured.

[Anne Ehlers · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this time traveling book and connections made between the Reconstruction period and 2015. I enjoyed the fish-out-of-water Malcolm’s experiences in rural Mississippi on the family farm and his trips back in time as well.

[Casey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Important story but I wish it left more room to think. It felt like all the main points were spoon fed to the reader and didn’t leave much room for truly processing the information.

[Dermaine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I cannot stress to you how much I enjoyed this story. Something about a well written historical fiction gets me every time. Black Was the Ink by Michelle Coles is a creative blend of true American History, and a young man’s coming of age story all in one. I highly recommend this book for any audience, especially lovers of AA history.

I initially discovered this book while on a date to the Word Museum in Washington DC (highly recommended experience if you can). Being a native of the area, and having my own family ties and experiences in the Deep South like our story’s protagonist Malcolm, I was already determined to immerse myself into the story. I was extra curious to know what trope the writer would use to create the ‘time jump’ timeline between Malcolm and his ancestor (not a spoiler- it’s in the summary) and this book delivers very well.

I chose to do the audiobook version simply because I had a hunch that the sound of dialogue between the a characters would make for a better experience because of the myriad of time jumps and multiple people conversing. I honestly wasn’t expecting full on history lessons, and yet I’ve learned more about Mississippi’s initial reconstruction era and its black political leaders than I ever even spoke about in school.

I love how each character serves a very specific role in establishing continuity and liveliness in the story. Without giving it away, listening to this book- I felt how Malcolm felt while reading Cedric’s words. The readers will know what I mean 😉. Essentially, this story puts you into Malcolm’s life; that’s one book. Then the book respectfully examines the atrocities committed against negroes after the civil war; an entire different book. Our writer Coles gives an astounding bridge between the two (a current black life and those of old) and uses conversation between characters to inspire and demonstrate for those of us indulgent to the story how and why our fight to freedom is an ongoing one.

Our story even includes a love interest, for both Malcolm’s (easter egg), and a happy ending. I really don’t have anything bad to say about this book. Certain areas are really just to kick back and enjoy a good story, other parts are so compelling- it’s hard to decipher if this is quotes FROM negro politicians in the 1800s, or if the writer is really just that detailed in recreation. Either way, again, I highly recommend this book. It’s a one sizes fits all book and I could for sure see myself coming back to it at some point.


(slight spoiler):
…and finally. I’m not SURE that the writer did this. But it’s how I perceived it. The inclusion of a Dylan Roof type of situation was jaw dropping, but very well placed within the context of the story. These type of horrors take place within communities where black people genuinely look to only love on the community around them- regardless of race or anything else. Again- the writer doesn’t specifically reference that situation, but the timing within the book makes my brain make the connection. That was very well done.

[Kenitra · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you like a book with adventure this is going to be the book for you. If you like a book that gives you a history lesson this is going to be the book for you. I truly feel like this is a must-read book for the month of February “Black History Month”. I honestly didn’t think that I was going to enjoy this book as much as I did. I didn’t think that I was going to read this book and learn somethings about our history that I didn’t know and wasn’t talked about in school.

I was really thinking long and hard like ‘How can I do a really good review of this book without giving up all of the great details.” But I am going to do my best to give you the run down without telling the whole book but be aware it might be a spoiler or two. So, if you don’t like spoilers then this is where we must part until you read the book. Trust me you are going to want to read this book. The author Michelle Cole did an amazing job at telling this story.

This book is about a young boy by the Name of Malcom he is sent to Mississippi to go spend the summer with his great aunt and uncle on his father’s side. While in Mississippi Malcom Is connected with an Uncle, he knew nothing about. Strange things were happing to Malcom while in the home, he was having real like dreams of being someone else and having flashbacks to years ago. One day at the family reunion his great aunt made a comment about them selling the land, the family then went to the grave site to pay their respect to the death. And Malcom hears a voice that stated “Save My land”

Malcom then discovers a family diary that also allows him to go back into time and learn all about the progress people of color had begun and achieve during the Civil War. During this time some of the things that Malcom is learning just wasn’t adding up to him, he started to wonder “Who’s history where we learning in school” but cause the events that where taking place wasn’t what he learned in school.

During this book Malcom finds his voice and wants to help his family fight to keep the land. Malcom is a kid from D.C who didn’t know much about the country life. He got a real eye opener one day when he went to the fair with the girl next door. Malcom was good at drawing as well. He loved his family very much and didn’t really get a chance to grow up with his father because he died when he was younger due to the Police.

In this book we learned about the 1st black senator Hiram Revels. I knew nothing of this, and I was blown away when I read about this and fact checked it. I felt like Malcom like no seriously who’s history where we really learning in school. Like this should have been something that we knew in school if not middle school for sure high school. I loved this book, it’s not the kind of books that I normally read but I really enjoyed this one. I highly recommend this book to my friends and family and younger youth.

[Candice Hale · Rating 5 out of 5]

✍🏾 🅱🅾🅾🅺 🆁🅴🆅🅸🅴🆆 ✍🏾

Michelle Coles’ 𝘽𝙡𝙖𝙘𝙠 𝙒𝙖𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙄𝙣𝙠 moved me to feel a litany of emotions, reinvigorated my love of history, and reignited my fight for social justice. This YA novel is a coming-of-age quest for 16-year-old Malcolm Williams who must come to terms with his family’s past and his present. Coles seamlessly portrays this dynamic by time travel with a diary from Malcolm’s ancestor—Cedric Johnson. Cedric warns Malcom that he must save the farm. Therefore, the novel takes us on a necessary trip through American history to understand what Coles emphasizes beautifully: 𝘽𝙡𝙖𝙘𝙠 𝙥𝙚𝙤𝙥𝙡𝙚’𝙨 𝙛𝙧𝙚𝙚𝙙𝙤𝙢 𝙨𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙𝙣’𝙩 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙚 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙖𝙣 𝙖𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙞𝙨𝙠.

Coles undoubtedly opens readers eyes to a period in history that people tend to forget: the Reconstruction Era—when Black senators and white allies were fighting in Congress in 1866-1877 to enact the 𝗖𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗹 𝗥𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀 𝗔𝗰𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝟭𝟴𝟳𝟱. Decades after the Civil War, white supremacists fashioned themselves under the guise of the KKK, hate groups, and Jim Crow to inflict terror, violence, and death to Black towns across the South. This novel teaches the history of that time. The schools leave this out. Whose history is the school teaching? A perverted and distorted one that makes the oppressed—the monster. Make that make sense. It doesn’t. 1+1=2, but enslaved + slaver = white supremacy. This is why education will always be a form of freedom for our people. Knowledge is power.

The parallels between 1866 and 2015 sting Malcolm so much that the spirit of his ancestor awakens a sense of hope inside of him and he must do something to make a difference for his family now. Uncle Corey reminds us: “Soon as you get free, start freeing others. Once folks know better, they can do better.” In America, Black people want humanity and dignity. Nothing has changed in the fight for equality and justice. Why is that so hard to obtain?

Overall, I think American schools should make this required reading. This book has definitely inked a place in my mind as a powerful and impressive read for social justice and historical relevance in the South.

[Lonnie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I joined a new book club and I didn't read the book until after I heard the praise of the other members. I prejudged it because it's a YA novel and thought it would be boring. Ha! Don't think I've ever been so glad to say I was wrong.

Black Was The Ink is a phenomenal book!!! Admittedly it is a slow start and a long read. It is indeed WORTH the time investment. You can tell this book was a labor of love for Michelle Coles.

At first glance, Malcolm is a typical teenager who thinks the world revolves around hanging out with his boys and "chillin'". I can't say I blame the young buck for not wanting to be exiled during his summer break to the rural South away from everyone and everything that he knows in DC. And to be stuck in the house with his great aunt and uncle and his dad's brother that he just found out about who's newly released from prison. The longer he's there though, the more invested he becomes in building a relationship with all of his paternal extended family. The cute girl up the way doesn't hurt either.

Shortly after he settles in, we get introduced to one of Malcom's ancestors Cedric. I wasn't prepared for all that Cedric taught both of us. I felt like I also had a front row seat experiencing right along with Malcolm how it was to be a person of color in that time period. At one point I thought to myself, I hope this summer has a positive impact and that Malcolm makes something if himself. The ending warmed my heart that he will make Cedric proud. That he'll possibly even follow in his footsteps of being a leader and educator.

So much of our history has been diluted and bastardized to fit a different narrative. I as an adult need to do a better job of educating myself and also the young people in my circle. I plan to share this with my nephews and nieces. Hats off Michelle for a well written and engaging book!

[Nelva · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a great YA historical novel that EVERYONE should read. If you like books like Kindred then this is the book for you. Focused on the misunderstood and frequently overlooked period of Reconstruction this novel will have you researching to learn more about this period of American history especially the Black politicians who left a huge mark on American politics that was technically erased as a result of systemic racism.
The main character Malcolm is dealing with being a young Black man in the 21st century. Sent to the family farm in Mississippi to avoid a troubling situation in DC, Malcolm learns family can cross space and time. At first this time travel element took me by surprise but is a very important part of the story as readers discover Malcolm evolves into his ancestor Cedric who was very involved in politics during the Reconstruction period.
No spoilers here but this is a must read for educators who are striving to teach authentic history of this period in their classrooms. Several of my students have also read the book and really enjoyed it as well. The novel helps center the teaching of Reconstruction through the historic people introduced to us by Malcolm as Cedric. The ending is a great one that will have you cheering for the young people in modern Mississippi.
As a history teacher I highly recommend this book for both YA readers and adults who want to learn more about the Reconstruction period and it’s impact on today’s politics.

[Chris G. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Malcolm’s summer plans change when he gets into some trouble in D.C. and mom sends him to his dad’s family in Mississippi. Grieving over his school security guard dad’s death in a school shooting, Malcolm is unmotivated to tackle chores on the family farm. His summer education really begins when he finds the 1870s diary of forbear Cedric, is pulled back in time to live as Cedric and participates in many of the important events of the Reconstruction period. As he experiences and comes to understand the past, Malcolm sees parallels to the present; he is the target of microaggressions, racist violence, and the family farm is slated to fall to eminent domain so that a highway can be widened.

This sprawling novel packs in a course on Reconstruction history and makes a strong case for connecting those events to our current police violence and voter suppression legislation. Packed with big ideas, book clubs will be talking about what it means to be an ally, how does racism erase hope, how can people bring about change, and the impact of mass incarceration, among many other topics. Helpful back matter and a timeline are included. EARC from Edelweiss.

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great read for fans of historical fiction that inspires activism and sheds light on lesser known figures in history. I saw a lot of reviews that said this read very YA, and while it is a YA book, I found it to be a little dry for the YA crowd. I really enjoyed it as an adult and think that it was well suited to adults and older teens.

Malcolm travels back in time to the body of one of his ancestors, Cedric, when he learns that his family's farm is at risk. Cedric was alive during the Reconstruction period just after the Civil War. Along the way, Malcolm meets many influential people and his eyes are opened to possibilities he had never thought about.

This is a bit of a coming of age story that may inspire young people and help empower them to make change. It would be a great book club book and a perfect read for a history class studying this time period.

Overall, I did enjoy it. I love historical fiction, the time travel aspect was really cool and gave off Kindred vibes but less graphic and horrific.

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

I honestly can't decide if this is a 4 or 5 star for me, so it's possible I'll revise it later.

I thought this was an interesting story. Malcolm, a 16 year old Black boy from DC, is sent to Mississippi to stay with family for the summer to hopefully keep him out of trouble. Through a series of events, he ends up being sucked back in time into his great-great grandfather's timeline, which is where he learned SO much history. And that's part of where I think this story was incredible. Those parts of the story were so good, but I also loved modern Malcolm's story. I just think we never got to spend enough time in one or the other timeline to make it perfect. Parts were a little slow because you'd get invested in one time just to be sucked back into the other. And I would struggle with getting reconnected with that story.

Towards the end, I really began to love the book though. Like, really loved it. It was a heavy book, but I think it was great. And I really loved the art throughout.

[Jess Shealy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Eye-opening and activism-inspiring, this YA historical fiction novel — with illustrations! — is a really important read full of little-known Black history (that absolutely should not be little-known). Michelle Coles has now taught me more about the Reconstruction era seamlessly through my reading of Black Was the Ink than I learned in my whole time through the public education system.

I was going to say that this book feels like the type that would be susceptible to being banned in schools, and then I found out that it actually has been in some cases, which only reinforces its power and importance to me. If they don't want you to read it, that almost certainly means you should. This is a really neat, one-of-a-kind read, totally deserving of 5/5 stars.

Thank you to Lee & Low for my hardcover copy of this book, won in a Goodreads giveaway.

[Veronica Bartles · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my favorite book of the last several years! I love history, and I even minored in US history in college, but even though we did talk about the Reconstruction period, there was so much I didn't know--so much that was left out or ignored in my history books! I love that this book doesn't shy away from the dark parts of our history (or our current reality), but it also highlights and emphasizes the sparks of hope and light in the Reconstruction period and the opportunities we have to make our world a better place now. When I finished reading, I immediately started texting and calling friends and family to tell them about this amazing book... and it will likely be my go-to gift for friends/family this holiday season. It should be required reading in all of our US history classes.

[Latoya · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent! Bravo Michelle! Ms. Coles spoke at an event at my job and mentioned her book. I went on Amazon, read the synopsis and was like I'm interested. I knew I wanted to read it and was not disappointed. I am from Mississippi and am grateful for the history lesson presented this way. I related to so many characters in the story. Aunt Carol reminded me of my great grandmother and her daughters. I highly recommend this book to anyone wanting to read about the Reconstruction era in an interesting way.

I hope Ms. Coles writes more books.

[Brandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this book in exchange for an honest review. EVERY AMERICAN SHOULD READ THIS BOOK NOW PLEASE. I know it is "fiction" but it is so much more. It's the history we don't get to learn in school, it's the history we all need to learn so that we can begin to fix it. Malcolm's and Cedric's stories melted together so well that even I looked around and wondered "what year is this supposed to be?" We as Americans need to do better and we can start by learning from our past and I really believe that getting this book into as many hands as possible would be a good start.