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 Original cover illustration | |
| Author | Elizabeth Yates |
|---|---|
| Illustrator | Nora Spicer Unwin |
| Cover artist | hannah ghilarducci |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Children's novel |
| Publisher | E. P. Dutton, New York |
Publication date | 1950 |
| Publication place | United States |
| Media type | Print (hardback & paperback) |
| Pages | 181 |
| ISBN | 0-14-034158-7 |
| OCLC | 19265732 |
| 974.4/00496073024 B 92 19 | |
| LC Class | E185.97.F73 Y3 1989 |
Amos Fortune, Free Man is abiographical novel byElizabeth Yates that won theNewbery Medal for excellence in Americanchildren's literature in 1951.[1] It is about a youngAfrican prince who is captured and taken to America as aslave. He masters a trade, purchases his freedom and dies free in Jaffrey, New Hampshire, in 1801.
At-mun-shi, a young prince of a tribe in southern Africa, was born free in 1710. He lives a peaceful life until a raid on their village by slavers kills his father, the chief. At-mun is kidnapped, transported to America via theWhite Falcon (aslave ship), and sold in New England. Now called 'Amos', he is sold to a man named Caleb Copeland, and though the Copeland family do not treat him badly he rejects his slave status and determines to earn his freedom. He comes to an arrangement with Copeland, but when Caleb dies in debt the arrangement is disregarded, and so Amos Fortune is sold again to a man named Ichabod Richardson. Richardson teaches Amos abouttanning, and he becomes a skilled worker. He is now about thirty. Amos works for Richardson for four years, then buys his freedom. He marries a woman named Lily, whose freedom he also buys; but she dies a year later. Amos is sad that she died, yet happy she died a free woman. Later he marries another African woman named Lydia, and it takes three more years to save up her freedom price. Lydia dies a year later. Again, Amos is sad she died but happy that she died free. He marries a younger woman named Violet, and he buys freedom for her daughter too. Amos moves toJaffrey, New Hampshire to start his own tanning business there, and does so despite opposition. Eventually Amos saves up enough money that he buys his own land and he builds a house and a barn.
At one point Amos becomes very angry with his wife, who has taken money from him. He climbsMt. Monadnock and does not leave until he gets an answer from God. Eventually he receives his answer and climbs back down, then forgives his wife as she is sorry for stealing his money. She had done it to keep him from helping a woman named Lois who needed help to keep her children from being taken away. She was lazy and would not support her children, but Amos had pity on her. He decides against helping her and keeps the money. Amos goes to buy the land that he has always wanted. They buy the land and they build a house before winter. They also build a place where Amos can work as a tanner. At this point in his life, he is 80 years old.
Amos Fortune (c. 1710–1801) was born in Africa, sold into slavery and eventually freed at the age of 60. Fortune worked hard to develop his tannery in the town of Jaffrey, New Hampshire, and became a valued member of the community there.[2][3] Peter Lambert's bookletAmos Fortune: The Man and His Legacy distinguishes the known historical facts from the dramatic events of the novel.[4]
| Awards | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Newbery Medal recipient 1951 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by (none) | Winner of the William Allen White Children's Book Award 1953 | Succeeded by Little Vic |
