Since the topic of this children's book is an enslaved cook named Hercules and his daughter Delia preparing a birthday cake for the man who owned them -- President George Washington, controversy was inevitable. Perhaps just as inevitable was the shameful decision by Scholastic to pull this title from its publications catalog and make it no longer available for sale. Just remember that whenever Scholastic hypocritically pontificate against the banning of books during the next Banned Book Week.) When I first read about this controversy, I KNEW this book was likely set for the ban hammer. So, I immediately bought it -- before Scholastic had the chance to decide to take the coward's way out -- in order to see for myself what the controversy was all about.
Let me start by noting that slavery is NOT an easy topic to write about for children. Heck, we grown ups haven't even learned how to talk to one another about this subject. It's uncomfortable. It makes everyone uneasy. And there is a reason for that. Chattel slavery, along with the treatment of native populations, are the most shameful chapters in American history. Slavery existed for almost the entirety of this Nation's first century, and had been around for 150 years before that during colonial times. Its legacy remains with us to this very day and is a difficult one to discuss. Yet, slavery is part of our history, and we need to be able to study that history and portray that history, notwithstanding the painful images it creates.
The question, then, is how to do that. And this is the tricky part, and the point on which this book has come under such harsh criticism. The book portrays a few of Washington's slaves taking pride in their work and even going about it with smiles on their faces. One illustration shows Washington with his arm around Hercules, depicting smiling master and slaves being mutually congratulatory (Washington praising Hercules on a job well done, and Hercules wishing His Excellency a happy birthday). It is this depiction that the author, illustrator, and editor (all three women of color) consciously chose for this book, and it is this depiction that the book's critics seem to most take issue with. “SLAVE WORK FOR MASSA” is what one reviewer at Amazon dubbed this book (incidentally, the same reviewer that likened this book to a hypothetical one about Anne Frank's family making a steak dinner for Hitler). The objections to this book essentially boil down to the fact that slavery was a brutal institution and should be depicted as such, not showing "happy slaves" dutifully going about "massa's" business. Critics are not appeased by the fact that the book includes an afterword titled "Hercules and President Washington", which adds more context to the story by providing additional information about the complex master-slave relationship between Washington and Hercules, and noting that Hercules eventually ran away from Mount Vernon and escaped to his freedom in the north (ironically, running away on Washington's 65th birthday).
So, the question appears to be this: Is it EVER appropriate to depict the master-slave relationship in anything other than its most brutal aspects? Was there ANY way to tell this story to children that would have passed muster with the critics and allowed the book to avoid Scholastic's ban hammer? In today's political and racial climate, I don't think so. The zero-sum game of the current polity doesn't allow for complexity or nuance. It doesn't allow for great but flawed men to continue to be heroes when they participate in an economic system that deprives their fellow human beings of freedom. It doesn't allow a man who yearns for his freedom, even to the point of running away, to nevertheless take pride in being "the first celebrity chef in America" and in working in the kitchen of the greatest man in America, if not the entire world. Choice is limited to a dualistic either/or; black or white; good or evil. It is a mentality that keeps the greatest movie Walt Disney made, "Song of the South", from seeing the light of day. It is a mentality that demands the removal from public prominence of statues of and memorials to Thomas Jefferson (and, I believe, eventually George Washington). So, no, I don't believe there are any circumstances under which this book could have gone unscathed.
Now that I've gone on much longer than I had intended, what are my personal thoughts on the book? I found it delightful and informative, although I do believe more information that was saved for the afterword could have been incorporated into the story (not that it would have made any difference in saving the book from its critics, as I mentioned above). Do I think people are making much ado about nothing? I can't really say. Obviously, a LOT of people are offended by this depiction, and who am I to call that into question. I'm a white guy whose ancestors weren't enslaved, so I'm not about to cast doubt on the feelings of those who are descended from slaves. I can see why they might take offense to "happy slaves" exchanging pleasantries with their owners, His Excellency and Lady Washington, while working in a kitchen in which they have no choice but to work.
In the end, I do think that it matters A LOT that the three people most responsible for this book are women of color, and I believe that Scholastic should have remained steadfast in trusting and supporting the work these women have done. Had Scholastic not shamefully engaged in ... let's face it ... a spasm of book banning by yielding to the demands of the mob, I would have recommended this now unavailable book to all, with the caveat that parents read it to their children and provide more context about the brutality and inequity of slavery, in general, and Hercules' self-manumitting response to his own enslavement, in particular.
Loading your book clubs
There was a problem loading your book clubs. Please try again.
Not in a club? Learn more
Join or create book clubs
Choose books together
Track your books
Bring your club to Amazon Book Clubs, start a new book club and invite your friends to join, or find a club that’s right for you for free.
Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required. Learn more
Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.
Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.
Flip to back Flip to front
Follow the Author
Something went wrong. Please try your request again later.
Customers who viewed this item also viewed
Page 1 of 1 Start overPage 1 of 1
About the author
Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
Its like Anne & Otto Frank Baking Cookies for Adolf Hitler on Christmas
Reviewed in the United States on January 14, 2016
Critiquing the Children’s Book: "A Birthday Cake for George Washington” AKA “SLAVE WORK FOR MASSA” and soon to come in a Jewish version...“A STEAK FOR ADOLF HITLER", Staring Anne and Otto Frank.This book depicts a father and his daughter excited about making a cake for the President of the US, George Washington. Very attractive cover with fantastic illustrations. Moreover, according to the author, this book is based on real historical events-particular a man named Hercules. Oh, how exciting and so culturally appealing. Except, In REAL LIFE, Hercules, was a descendant of kidnapped African people and he and his children were born into chattel slavery. The President, George Washington, whom the characters are presumably happy to bake this birthday cake for, owned them (IN REAL LIFE). Hercules used the hoopla around George Washington’s 65th Birthday to plot his escape from George Washington (IN REAL LIFE). He plotted this escape with his children-but not all of them were able to escape (IN REAL LIFE). Hercules was considered a fugitive until George Washington freed the 200 or so people that were enslaved on his plantation….Most of the slaves were “free” except Hercules grandchildren ended up still being enslaved because they were “dower” slaves (IN REAL LIFE).For some reason, I can’t see Hercules and his daughter being happy and excited to be making a birthday cake for Massa Washington (IN REAL LIFE)It would seem “Scholastic" books would know better than to publish FICTION for kids using a story that have real implications for their understanding of oppression. How will this story shape the perception of chattel slavery in the mind of White children, Black children, and other children of color? But then again, it is not that hard to get published if you follow the simple happy slave and negro formula…that’s: Black people in Oppression + Good White People - (minus) However x (times) Whatever White Folks Did to put Black people in Oppressive States = Happy Slaves and Negros!I don’t care how many pictures of Black folks someone CREATES of us smiling, tap dancing, singing, shouting like the church said Amen…THERE WERE NO HAPPY SLAVES! I don’t care how many stories someone CREATES about Black folks lovin they Massa….there were no happy slaves. I DON’T CARE if someone discovered that 10,000 Black folks gave themselves to slave owners ….or found that Black folks begged for slavery, or sold themselves into slavery, or Black folks helped slaves to be better slaves, or Black folks died for slavery, or even Black folks kidnapping other Black folks….or any other story one CONJURES UP to CONFUSE what Black oppression was and has come to be ---just to REDUCE WHITE GUILT & BLACK SHAME …there STILL WERE NO HAPPY SLAVES!!!! Slavery was a violation of human rights…it was inhumane. Children were kidnapped (sold) from their parents and FORCED to WORK IN MONSTEROUS CONDITIONS FOREVER ...monstrous conditions included being raped, being sold, being forced to marry, being whipped, being chained...being torn away from your mother at birth!!!! All the stuff we would never want EVER in life! Numerous African people committed suicide because it (the life constructed for Black people to by whites, for whites, that white people wanted to protect) was so unbearable (IN REAL LIFE).In Real Life, George Washington, the "Birthday Boy"...married Martha, his wife, because her father was rich from owning African People…Washington was a greedy man that used his political office to protect this monstrous institution that he benefitted from. Washington largely set the tone for the next hundreds of years for the protection of chattel slavery...and his Secretary of State, Thomas Jefferson, who repeatedly RAPED Black women, assisted Washington in this protection.come on...this story is like depicting Anne Frank and her Dad eager to make dinner for Hitler! “A STEAK FOR ADOLF HITLER"...like there was Happy Jews lining up to make steak for the man that tried to exterminate them...and even if there were some Jews that worked for Hitler (which there were)...depicting Happy Jews in the Holocaust would be absolutely ridiculous...so why in the world would this book be even allowed to be printed????Parents: this is why you need to make sure your children understand a TRUE & HONEST depiction of AFRICAN-AMERICAN history in a context that attends to how race and racism have operated in the lives of Black people and people of color. Moreover, they need to know how it has operated in the lives of white people....regardless if you have white friends or family members. If you don't teach your kids honest history, your kids WILL learn it from teachers and school leaders who may think slaves were happy. Largely, our universities, colleges, and teacher and leadership preparation programs across this nation, DO NOT TEACH our future educators about literature (such as this) that can be damaging to the psyche of children. I can see the many teachers and leaders who I have worked with who are "trying" to be culturally relevant and select this book to read, or place in their libraries, integrate into their curriculum, display during Black History Month, and not realize this seemingly work of fantastic art and literature is actually one of the worst books for children to read ever in life! Protect your child, don't like someone else confuse them.
Reviewed in the United States on January 14, 2016
Images in this review
Top reviews from the United States
There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.
Reviewed in the United States on March 3, 2018
Reviewed in the United States on January 14, 2016
This book depicts a father and his daughter excited about making a cake for the President of the US, George Washington. Very attractive cover with fantastic illustrations. Moreover, according to the author, this book is based on real historical events-particular a man named Hercules. Oh, how exciting and so culturally appealing. Except, In REAL LIFE, Hercules, was a descendant of kidnapped African people and he and his children were born into chattel slavery. The President, George Washington, whom the characters are presumably happy to bake this birthday cake for, owned them (IN REAL LIFE). Hercules used the hoopla around George Washington’s 65th Birthday to plot his escape from George Washington (IN REAL LIFE). He plotted this escape with his children-but not all of them were able to escape (IN REAL LIFE). Hercules was considered a fugitive until George Washington freed the 200 or so people that were enslaved on his plantation….Most of the slaves were “free” except Hercules grandchildren ended up still being enslaved because they were “dower” slaves (IN REAL LIFE).
For some reason, I can’t see Hercules and his daughter being happy and excited to be making a birthday cake for Massa Washington (IN REAL LIFE)
It would seem “Scholastic" books would know better than to publish FICTION for kids using a story that have real implications for their understanding of oppression. How will this story shape the perception of chattel slavery in the mind of White children, Black children, and other children of color? But then again, it is not that hard to get published if you follow the simple happy slave and negro formula…that’s: Black people in Oppression + Good White People - (minus) However x (times) Whatever White Folks Did to put Black people in Oppressive States = Happy Slaves and Negros!
I don’t care how many pictures of Black folks someone CREATES of us smiling, tap dancing, singing, shouting like the church said Amen…THERE WERE NO HAPPY SLAVES! I don’t care how many stories someone CREATES about Black folks lovin they Massa….there were no happy slaves. I DON’T CARE if someone discovered that 10,000 Black folks gave themselves to slave owners ….or found that Black folks begged for slavery, or sold themselves into slavery, or Black folks helped slaves to be better slaves, or Black folks died for slavery, or even Black folks kidnapping other Black folks….or any other story one CONJURES UP to CONFUSE what Black oppression was and has come to be ---just to REDUCE WHITE GUILT & BLACK SHAME …there STILL WERE NO HAPPY SLAVES!!!! Slavery was a violation of human rights…it was inhumane. Children were kidnapped (sold) from their parents and FORCED to WORK IN MONSTEROUS CONDITIONS FOREVER ...monstrous conditions included being raped, being sold, being forced to marry, being whipped, being chained...being torn away from your mother at birth!!!! All the stuff we would never want EVER in life! Numerous African people committed suicide because it (the life constructed for Black people to by whites, for whites, that white people wanted to protect) was so unbearable (IN REAL LIFE).
In Real Life, George Washington, the "Birthday Boy"...married Martha, his wife, because her father was rich from owning African People…Washington was a greedy man that used his political office to protect this monstrous institution that he benefitted from. Washington largely set the tone for the next hundreds of years for the protection of chattel slavery...and his Secretary of State, Thomas Jefferson, who repeatedly RAPED Black women, assisted Washington in this protection.
come on...this story is like depicting Anne Frank and her Dad eager to make dinner for Hitler! “A STEAK FOR ADOLF HITLER"...like there was Happy Jews lining up to make steak for the man that tried to exterminate them...and even if there were some Jews that worked for Hitler (which there were)...depicting Happy Jews in the Holocaust would be absolutely ridiculous...so why in the world would this book be even allowed to be printed????
Parents: this is why you need to make sure your children understand a TRUE & HONEST depiction of AFRICAN-AMERICAN history in a context that attends to how race and racism have operated in the lives of Black people and people of color. Moreover, they need to know how it has operated in the lives of white people....regardless if you have white friends or family members. If you don't teach your kids honest history, your kids WILL learn it from teachers and school leaders who may think slaves were happy. Largely, our universities, colleges, and teacher and leadership preparation programs across this nation, DO NOT TEACH our future educators about literature (such as this) that can be damaging to the psyche of children. I can see the many teachers and leaders who I have worked with who are "trying" to be culturally relevant and select this book to read, or place in their libraries, integrate into their curriculum, display during Black History Month, and not realize this seemingly work of fantastic art and literature is actually one of the worst books for children to read ever in life! Protect your child, don't like someone else confuse them.
Its like Anne & Otto Frank Baking Cookies for Adolf Hitler on Christmas
Reviewed in the United States on January 14, 2016
Critiquing the Children’s Book: "A Birthday Cake for George Washington” AKA “SLAVE WORK FOR MASSA” and soon to come in a Jewish version...“A STEAK FOR ADOLF HITLER", Staring Anne and Otto Frank.Reviewed in the United States on January 14, 2016
This book depicts a father and his daughter excited about making a cake for the President of the US, George Washington. Very attractive cover with fantastic illustrations. Moreover, according to the author, this book is based on real historical events-particular a man named Hercules. Oh, how exciting and so culturally appealing. Except, In REAL LIFE, Hercules, was a descendant of kidnapped African people and he and his children were born into chattel slavery. The President, George Washington, whom the characters are presumably happy to bake this birthday cake for, owned them (IN REAL LIFE). Hercules used the hoopla around George Washington’s 65th Birthday to plot his escape from George Washington (IN REAL LIFE). He plotted this escape with his children-but not all of them were able to escape (IN REAL LIFE). Hercules was considered a fugitive until George Washington freed the 200 or so people that were enslaved on his plantation….Most of the slaves were “free” except Hercules grandchildren ended up still being enslaved because they were “dower” slaves (IN REAL LIFE).
For some reason, I can’t see Hercules and his daughter being happy and excited to be making a birthday cake for Massa Washington (IN REAL LIFE)
It would seem “Scholastic" books would know better than to publish FICTION for kids using a story that have real implications for their understanding of oppression. How will this story shape the perception of chattel slavery in the mind of White children, Black children, and other children of color? But then again, it is not that hard to get published if you follow the simple happy slave and negro formula…that’s: Black people in Oppression + Good White People - (minus) However x (times) Whatever White Folks Did to put Black people in Oppressive States = Happy Slaves and Negros!
I don’t care how many pictures of Black folks someone CREATES of us smiling, tap dancing, singing, shouting like the church said Amen…THERE WERE NO HAPPY SLAVES! I don’t care how many stories someone CREATES about Black folks lovin they Massa….there were no happy slaves. I DON’T CARE if someone discovered that 10,000 Black folks gave themselves to slave owners ….or found that Black folks begged for slavery, or sold themselves into slavery, or Black folks helped slaves to be better slaves, or Black folks died for slavery, or even Black folks kidnapping other Black folks….or any other story one CONJURES UP to CONFUSE what Black oppression was and has come to be ---just to REDUCE WHITE GUILT & BLACK SHAME …there STILL WERE NO HAPPY SLAVES!!!! Slavery was a violation of human rights…it was inhumane. Children were kidnapped (sold) from their parents and FORCED to WORK IN MONSTEROUS CONDITIONS FOREVER ...monstrous conditions included being raped, being sold, being forced to marry, being whipped, being chained...being torn away from your mother at birth!!!! All the stuff we would never want EVER in life! Numerous African people committed suicide because it (the life constructed for Black people to by whites, for whites, that white people wanted to protect) was so unbearable (IN REAL LIFE).
In Real Life, George Washington, the "Birthday Boy"...married Martha, his wife, because her father was rich from owning African People…Washington was a greedy man that used his political office to protect this monstrous institution that he benefitted from. Washington largely set the tone for the next hundreds of years for the protection of chattel slavery...and his Secretary of State, Thomas Jefferson, who repeatedly RAPED Black women, assisted Washington in this protection.
come on...this story is like depicting Anne Frank and her Dad eager to make dinner for Hitler! “A STEAK FOR ADOLF HITLER"...like there was Happy Jews lining up to make steak for the man that tried to exterminate them...and even if there were some Jews that worked for Hitler (which there were)...depicting Happy Jews in the Holocaust would be absolutely ridiculous...so why in the world would this book be even allowed to be printed????
Parents: this is why you need to make sure your children understand a TRUE & HONEST depiction of AFRICAN-AMERICAN history in a context that attends to how race and racism have operated in the lives of Black people and people of color. Moreover, they need to know how it has operated in the lives of white people....regardless if you have white friends or family members. If you don't teach your kids honest history, your kids WILL learn it from teachers and school leaders who may think slaves were happy. Largely, our universities, colleges, and teacher and leadership preparation programs across this nation, DO NOT TEACH our future educators about literature (such as this) that can be damaging to the psyche of children. I can see the many teachers and leaders who I have worked with who are "trying" to be culturally relevant and select this book to read, or place in their libraries, integrate into their curriculum, display during Black History Month, and not realize this seemingly work of fantastic art and literature is actually one of the worst books for children to read ever in life! Protect your child, don't like someone else confuse them.
Images in this review
