The School Library Journal called it “A troubling depiction of American slavery.” It was criticized for whitewashing the history of slavery. People complained because it contains images of smiling slaves on almost every page and portrays slaves as being happy, calling it a happy little story about a slave serving his master joyfully. One person even wrote, “This seemingly work of fantastic art and literature is actually one of the worst books for children to read ever in life!” Really! Ganeshram responded, “It is the historical record—not my opinion—that shows that enslaved people who received ‘status’ positions were proud of these positions—and made use of the ‘perks’ of those positions. It is what illustrator Vanessa Brantley-Newton calls out in her artist’s note as informing her decision to depict those in A Birthday Cake For George Washington as happy and prideful people.” At first publisher Scholastic defended the book as a complex portrayal of American slavery that approached the topic with “the utmost care.” However, on January 17, the firm bowed to pressure, reversed its position, and pulled the book, saying “Scholastic has a long history of explaining complex and controversial issues to children at all ages and grade levels. We do not believe this title meets the standards of appropriate presentation of information to younger children, despite the positive intentions and beliefs of the author, editor and illustrator,” and that without more historical background, “the book may give a false impression of the reality of the lives of slaves and therefore should be withdrawn.”
What is my take on all the hoopla? It is that the vast majority of objections to A Birthday Cake For George Washington are basically political correctness run amok. The book does not promote slavery. It does not endorse slavery. It does not justify or excuse slavery. It does not even try to cover up the ugliness of slavery. It simply gives a fictionalized but realistically accurate portrayal of a real historical event involving slaves. To write the book, the author conducted extensive research on George Washington’s chef and his cake. THAT is what the story is about. A note at the end does discuss the history of Hercules and how he eventually escaped. One objector claimed, “This story is like depicting Anne Frank and her Dad eager to make dinner for Hitler! ‘A STEAK FOR ADOLF HITLER.’” My, my! There is a BIG difference. Hitler was an evil man who cold-heartedly plotted the extermination of six million Jews. Washington was basically a good man who, while, yes, he had slaves, was troubled by slavery, treated his slaves as well as could be expected under the circumstances of the times, and made arrangements for his slaves to be freed at his death. Given the fact that slavery is a sad chapter in our nation’s history, this book would make a great vehicle for beginning a deep discussion with children about the subject.
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Its like Anne & Otto Frank Baking Cookies for Adolf Hitler on Christmas
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.
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- Reviewed in the United States on January 14, 2016
- Reviewed in the United States on January 14, 2016
Its like Anne & Otto Frank Baking Cookies for Adolf Hitler on ChristmasCritiquing 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.
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