"I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all." The reality is that liberty and justice was not afforded to everyone. America was founded on the backs of the enslaved. Their blood, sweat, and tears is in American soil.
The Shadow of Liberty is an important text because it creates a platform for the enslaved that were relegated to the shadows by American history. Davis criticizes America for praising important historical figures such as George Washington and Benjamin Franklin while simultaneously repudiating their complicity in perpetuating slavery. Davis is asking for American transparency and wants to have an honest discussion about racism in America. William "Billy" Lee, Issac Granger, Paul Jennings, and Alfred Jackson were owned by men considered great presidents, but we do not know their stories. The enslaved have been dehumanized and Davis uses his authorial voice to give them back their humanity.
Pros: Davis introduces young readers to an unfiltered reality of slavery in America. Davis refers to slaves as the enslaved which ascribes dignity to them. In addition, he provides the reader with significant information about the lives of the enslaved. History forgot about these five people and Davis uses this text to acknowledge them.
Cons: Absolutely no cons! Slavery happened and Davis does not shy away from using difficult language or relaying disturbing information. In short, he does not whitewash American history.
Davis' book has almost 5 stars on goodreads! Check it out:
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/27414451-in-the-shadow-of-liberty
Here is a portrait of George Washington and William Lee.
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