Black Hands, White Sails (Coretta Scott King Author Honor Books) [Hardcover]

Patricia C. McKissack (Author), Fredrick McKissack (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 9 and up | Series: Coretta Scott King Author Honor Books

During colonial and pre-Civil War times, whaling was a dangerous job. Despite the challenges of the sea, runaway slaves were eager to enlist. This is the story of the brave black sailors and Paul Cuffe, Lewis Temple, Frederick Douglas, and other pivotal African-American figures in the whaling industry and abolitionist movement.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Grade 6-9-A well-researched and detailed book chronicling the contributions of African Americans to the whaling industry. Many were drawn to jobs on whaling ships throughout the 1600-1800s, for while conditions were difficult, they were preferable to slavery. The authors go to great lengths to draw out the roles of African Americans, and while many of these connections are eye-opening, they are sometimes tenuous. The first half of the book, an introduction to the whales and the business surrounding their hunting, features significant men such as Prince Boston and Paul Cuffe, but also some who were less directly involved. Frederick Douglass did briefly work as a ship's caulker but many pages are devoted to describing aspects of his life that are irrelevant to whaling. Midway, the emphasis shifts to interesting aspects of life aboard ship, explaining phrases we use today that derive from whalers, superstitions of the seas, sailing songs and shanties, the story of the famous Essex, and the role of whalers in the Revolutionary and Civil Wars. While the story becomes much more engaging at this point, the role of African Americans seems to have diminished importance as race is only occasionally mentioned. Overall, though, as an important and under-explored aspect of both African-American and nautical history, this book merits a place on the shelves in larger libraries and in African-American collections. However, for a more fascinating look at whaling, and one that integrates the African-American story along with the many other participants, look to Jim Murphy's Gone A-Whaling (Clarion, 1998).
Andrew Medlar, Chicago Public Library, IL
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

This fascinating look at the convergent histories of whaling and the abolitionist movement weaves seemingly disparate threads into a detailed tapestry. The authors trace the whaling industry from its colonial New England roots through the end of the nineteenth century, establishing it within a strong political, social, and economic context. The connections they describe are illuminating, including the use of whaling ships as vehicles on the Underground Railroad and as weapons in the blockade of two Confederate harbors. Whaling was a harsh profession that offered, if not equality, at least greater opportunity for African American men. Drawing heavily from primary sources, the McKissacks celebrate the accomplishments of such sailors, captains, shipbuilders, and inventors as Lewis Temple, the blacksmith who designed the first barbed harpoon. Less-skilled readers may have difficulty following the expansive narrative that pulls in details from several different angles, but history buffs and researchers should find the book's complexity rewarding. Appended is information on whale species, a time line, and a bibliography. Randy Meyer

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9 and up
  
• Hardcover: 192 pages
• Publisher: Scholastic Press; First Edition edition (October 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0590483137
• ISBN-13: 978-0590483131
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 5.8 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #900,784 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Must Read for black historians and Whale buffs., March 30, 2000

By 

Rejoice! "Aloha" (Maui) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Black Hands, White Sails (Coretta Scott King Author Honor Books) (Hardcover)

This book is a must read for black historians, civil war historians, and whale experts, which I am. I was completely unaware of the presence and dynamics of the life of black whalers. The serious risks of whaling far outweighed the risks of abduction by slave patrollers or even a life burdened by segregation and discrimination. I was particularily interested in the use and abuse of whale ships in the Civil war. A stone fleet of 15 whaling ships from the North were loaded with stones and sunk in Charleston harbor in an attempt to block the harbor in 1861. The attempt failed because the waters were too deep. Sountherners then became hell bent on destroying whale boats. The Confederate steamer Alabama sunk over 70 whale boats during the war. The Shenandoah sunk 34 more after the war. Black heroes and self made men are hailed, as well as those who were cannibalized by hungry crew in desparate times. I couldn't put this book down.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars New Bedford's untold history, March 8, 2001

By 

Ken Charlton (New Bedford, MA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Black Hands, White Sails (Coretta Scott King Author Honor Books) (Hardcover)

This book is indeed a must read and should be made a prerequisite for all that read Moby Dick. I found this book to be a riveting account of whaling and the importance that people of color visited upon this industry. I was very much overcome with emotions with every turn of the page as I learned how many of my ancestors came to live in New Bedford, MA and what they must have endured.

3.0 out of 5 stars Disorganized writing style, December 11, 2011

By 

M. Heiss (USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Black Hands, White Sails (Paperback)

This book makes a great starting-off point for your child to research black entrepreneurs and black enterprises in colonial America through Civil War times. The community of black whalers that developed in New England is closely examined and held up for admiration.

Joining the crew of a whaling ship, with extended voyages at sea and Northern home ports, was a risk worth taking for fugitive slaves and unemployable black freedmen. The men gained prestige and confidence as they worked side-by-side with white sailors and whalers from many nations. A man was judged by his work, and many black whalers gained skills for success aboard whalers. Of course, the work was dangerous, dirty, and ill-paying; the book explores that, too.

As a collection of anecdotes and seagoing trivia, this book is a winner. It seems like a collection of short essays on various nautical topics. As a history of blacks in the New England whaling communities, the book is disorganized almost to the point of unreadability. Frequently, a term is used without explanation, only to be defined and communicated much later in the book. Those errors can be shaped up in later editions -- there were many instances, but two that really stood out were "grog" and "greasy luck."

The best section of the book recounts the whaleship "Essex" disaster. The writing in that section is clear, quick, and entertaining.

The writers' assumption that the reader is unfamiliar with modern English idioms and their nautical origins seems mistaken. A reader old enough to manage the choppy style of the book will be able to handle idiomatic expressions (possibly better than the authors, if their etymology of "ringleader" is an example).

We set the standards for our children; if we accept inferior writing and give it high honors within the black community, how can we then expect more from our children than mediocrity and underachievement?

The book includes two sections of photographs and illustrations -- very helpful and interesting visuals. Those sections improve the book quite a bit. If your travel takes you to the whaling ports of colonial New England, this will be a good book to read before you go.