Anthony Burns: The Defeat and Triumph of a Fugitive Slave - Mass Market Paperbound

by Virginia Hamilton (Author)

Now in Laurel-Leaf, Virginia Hamilton's powerful true account of the sensational trial of a fugitive slave.

Front Jacket

Now in Laurel-Leaf, Virginia Hamilton's powerful true account of the sensational trial of a fugitive slave.
The year is 1854, and Anthony Burns, a 20-year-old Virginia slave, has escaped to Boston. But according to the Fugitive Slave Act, a runaway can be captured in any free state, and Anthony is soon imprisoned. The antislavery forces in Massachusetts are outraged, but the federal government backs the Fugitive Slave Act, sparking riots in Boston and fueling the Abolitionist movement.
Written with all the novelistic skill that has won her every major award in children's literature, Virginia Hamilton's important work of nonfiction puts young readers into the mind of Burns himself. 9780679841876|JF|In this Knopf Paperback reissue, Joshua is devastated to learn that he must repeat third grade. But he manages to survive the taunts of former classmates, learn something important about himself, and make it through the year with the help of a sympathetic teacher in this "funny, touching, and realistic story."--"School Library Journal

Back Jacket

The year is 1854. Anthony Burns, a Virginia slave, has escaped to Boston, but his freedom is short-lived. According to the Fugitive Slave Act, a runaway can be captured in any free state, and Burns is soon imprisoned.

The antislavery forces in Massachusetts are outraged. Abolitionist lawyer Richard Dana steps forward to defend Burns free of charge, and the sensational trial brings massive riots and thousands of troops to the streets of Boston. At the center of it all, haunted by memories of his life as a slave and praying that his defenders will prevail, is Anthony Burns himself. This is the true story of his desperate fight for freedom.

Author Biography

Virginia Hamilton's many awards include the Newbery Medal and National Book Award for M.C. Higgins the Great; the Coretta Scott King Medal for The People Could Fly; and the Hans Christian Andersen Award for the body of her work.