Now Is Your Time! The African American Struggle For Freedom (Turtleback School & Library Binding Edition) [School & Library Binding]

Walter Dean Myers (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 1, 1991

FOR USE IN SCHOOLS AND LIBRARIES ONLY. A history of the African American struggle for freedom and equality, beginning with the capture of Africans in 1619, continuing through the American Revolution, the Civil War, and into contemporary times.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Combining the emotional and plot-weaving powers of his novelist talents with a strong author's presence, Myers portrays the quests of individual Africans against the background of broader historical movements. Instead of a comprehensive, strict chronology, Myers offers, through freed slave Ibrahima, investigative reporter Ida Wells, artist Meta Warrick Fuller, inventor George Latimore, artist Dred Scott, the 54th Massachusetts Regiment and others, history at its best--along with deeper understanding of past and contemporary events. Readers will grasp reasons behind incidents ranging from bewildering Supreme Court decisions to the historical need for the black extended family. Intriguing and rousing. Photos not seen by PW. Ages 11-up.
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From School Library Journal

Grade 6 Up-- An attractive, interestingly written book that combines biographical vignettes with narrative history. By highlighting several generations of specific families, Myers eloquently conveys how they were present at, and participated in, the events that formed our nation. His chapter, ``To Be a Slave'' is full of fascinating and moving primary-source materials that are thoughtfully analyzed. Complex subjects like the meaning of the Constitutional Convention and the Dred Scott case are made comprehensible. Yet, interspersing biographies within the narrative creates confusing transitions. Also, the sense of time and historical development is in some cases lost, as in the chapter in which the pre-Revolution colonists' ways of establishing a slave labor system are illustrated with quotations from the 1840s and 1850s. Focus and historical significance are not always clear. For instance, through the 1920s the most famous African-Americans are bypassed in favor of vignettes of courageous lesser-known people; in the final two chapters people of this sort disappear, with the emphasis shifting to prominent leaders of the 1950s and '60s. Have the criteria for who is ``important'' changed? The ``Author's Note'' and the ``Select Bibliography'' provide some mention of where Myers obtained the information, but the text isn't fully documented. Some quotations cite no sources. It appears that thoughts and feelings are fictionalized in the biographies, but this is not mentioned in the note. What this book does in connecting a wide variety of African-Americans with their time in American history is unique. Despite its limitations, it should have a wide audience. But histories for young readers that adequately reflect the excellent research of recent years on the African-American experience are yet to come. --Loretta Kreider Andrews, Enoch Pratt Free Library, Baltimore
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• School & Library Binding: 320 pages
• Publisher: Turtleback (November 1, 1991)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0833593374
• ISBN-13: 978-0833593375
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 7 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,159,799 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Walter Dean Myers is a New York Times bestselling and critically acclaimed author who has garnered much respect and admiration for his fiction, nonfiction, and poetry for young people. Winner of the first Michael L. Printz Award, he is considered one of the preeminent writers for children. He lives in Jersey City, New Jersey, with his family.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Should be required reading, January 29, 2002

By 

"bluedragoncpkr" (Oakridge, OR United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Now Is Your Time! The African-American Struggle for Freedom (Paperback)

One purpose for the writing of this book, "Now is Your Time! The African-American Struggle for Freedom" is to fill the need for a readable and accessable text book on African-American History for children. I've used the book to teach my own child about the struggle for freedom faced by those of African descent as well as a stepping stone in teaching about oppression in the local school system. The book does an admirable job of showing the over all climate of Early America and doesn't gloss over any of the harsher realities of slavery. This book also highlights many of the key people in the struggle for freedom and civil rights. I believe this book to be one of a kind and necessary reading for all who wish to grow in their own understanding.

2 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Now is your time review, October 19, 2000

By 

aaron dolezal (iowa) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Now Is Your Time! The African-American Struggle for Freedom (Paperback)

The book Now is your time was about the African American Struggle for freedom. It was broken down into many stories of the african struggle for their freedom. Each story seemed to build up to like the greatest thing an abolitionist did for African freedom. The whole book through and through was collections of stories about african freedom and miny facts about african culuture. It showed how they are very religious and used many African songs to silently keep with their African culture roots. I liked all the different stories that showed the African struggle for freedom and how if you fight and never give up you will accomplish your goal. What I did not like was after all the stories it just listed out a bunch of facts and facts. It just got too textbooky and it just got me out of interest with the book and I started rushing just to finish the book so I could just get it overwith. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes anything about history and the loads and loads of facts that go with it. It is also for people who like good stories for inspiration in their own life. Overall I would say this book was alright with the good stories about African struggle but find some way to do away with the useless facts that seemed to be listed one right after the other.