
The People Rising
William Parker and the Freedom Fighters of the Christiana Resistance
Robert H. Mayer(Author)
Rowman & Littlefield (Publisher)
Will be published approx. on 4. February 2027
Book
Hardback
240 pages
979-8-216-37616-3 (ISBN)
Description
The fascinating story of the Christiana Resistance--an act of bravery by freedom fighters defending the Black community--told for the first time for young adult readers.
In the mid-1800s, a formerly enslaved man named William Parker organized his neighbors in Southern Pennsylvania into a group that worked day and night to foil enslavers looking to reclaim people escaping slavery. Their work culminated in a battle that came to be known as the "Christiana Resistance," when they stood their ground in defiance of the Fugitive Slave Law and moved the nation one step closer to civil war.
In The People Rising: William Parker and the Freedom Fighters of the Christiana Resistance, Robert H. Mayer takes readers deep into the history of this defining moment for a nation on the brink of war. Mayer brings William Parker to life with fascinating detail, sharing Parker's early days as an enslaved person, his harrowing escape, and how he became a community leader who inspired the Christiana Resistance. In addition, Mayer provides important insight into the battle of words occurring simultaneously in Congress, where people brawled, literally, on the floor of both houses over the question of slavery.
Featuring captivating photos and the actual words of historical figures, The People Rising reveals a vital piece of history for teen readers fighting similar battles today. At a time when the teaching of Black history is being challenged, this book offers an important perspective that reveals the essential role the Black community played in shaping American democracy.
In the mid-1800s, a formerly enslaved man named William Parker organized his neighbors in Southern Pennsylvania into a group that worked day and night to foil enslavers looking to reclaim people escaping slavery. Their work culminated in a battle that came to be known as the "Christiana Resistance," when they stood their ground in defiance of the Fugitive Slave Law and moved the nation one step closer to civil war.
In The People Rising: William Parker and the Freedom Fighters of the Christiana Resistance, Robert H. Mayer takes readers deep into the history of this defining moment for a nation on the brink of war. Mayer brings William Parker to life with fascinating detail, sharing Parker's early days as an enslaved person, his harrowing escape, and how he became a community leader who inspired the Christiana Resistance. In addition, Mayer provides important insight into the battle of words occurring simultaneously in Congress, where people brawled, literally, on the floor of both houses over the question of slavery.
Featuring captivating photos and the actual words of historical figures, The People Rising reveals a vital piece of history for teen readers fighting similar battles today. At a time when the teaching of Black history is being challenged, this book offers an important perspective that reveals the essential role the Black community played in shaping American democracy.
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
United States
Publishing group
Bloomsbury Publishing Plc
Target group
Young adult
Interest Age: From 12 to 22 years
Product notice
sewn/stitched
Cloth over boards
With dust jacket
Illustrations
21 bw images, 15 sidebars
Dimensions
Height: 216 mm
Width: 140 mm
Thickness: 25 mm
Weight
454 gr
ISBN-13
979-8-216-37616-3 (9798216376163)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Person
Robert H. Mayer is the award-winning author of In the Name of Emmett Till: How the Children of the Mississippi Freedom Struggle Showed Us Tomorrow and When the Children Marched: The Birmingham Civil Rights Movement. He has written for Cobblestone Magazine, Social Education, Magazine of History, and The Social Studies. Mayer was a teacher for forty-one years and won the Christian R. and Mary F. Lindback Foundation Award for Distinguished Teaching in 2009. He lives in Pennsylvania.
Content
Acknowledgments
A Gentle Warning
A Note About the Word Resistance
Confrontation, A Prelude
1. William Parker, The Early Years
2. William Parker Starts a New Life and Defends his People
3. Brawling in the Halls of Congress
4. William Parker, The Fight for Freedom Begins
5. Meeting Sarah Pownall and The Quaker Community
6. Henry Clay Proposes a Compromise
7. "A Very Ridiculous Affair," In the Senate
8. The Compromise of 1850-At Last
9. The People React, The Georgetown Resolution
10. Four Men Escape from Maryland
11. Heading to Christiana
12. A Gathering and a Conversation, The Night Before the Resistance
13. The Posse Travels South
14. A War of Words-Mostly
15. The People Arriving, An Interlude
16. "We are Free!" The Christiana Resistance
17. After the Battle, Tending to the Fallen
18. "A Local Reign of Terror," Martial Law
19. William Parker Escapes
20. The Flight to Canada
21. A Nation Fragments
22. The Trial
23. Eliza Liberated
24. The Parkers in Canada and Beyond
Timeline
Bibliography
Author Bio
A Gentle Warning
A Note About the Word Resistance
Confrontation, A Prelude
1. William Parker, The Early Years
2. William Parker Starts a New Life and Defends his People
3. Brawling in the Halls of Congress
4. William Parker, The Fight for Freedom Begins
5. Meeting Sarah Pownall and The Quaker Community
6. Henry Clay Proposes a Compromise
7. "A Very Ridiculous Affair," In the Senate
8. The Compromise of 1850-At Last
9. The People React, The Georgetown Resolution
10. Four Men Escape from Maryland
11. Heading to Christiana
12. A Gathering and a Conversation, The Night Before the Resistance
13. The Posse Travels South
14. A War of Words-Mostly
15. The People Arriving, An Interlude
16. "We are Free!" The Christiana Resistance
17. After the Battle, Tending to the Fallen
18. "A Local Reign of Terror," Martial Law
19. William Parker Escapes
20. The Flight to Canada
21. A Nation Fragments
22. The Trial
23. Eliza Liberated
24. The Parkers in Canada and Beyond
Timeline
Bibliography
Author Bio