The Book of Negroes

Use these questions or activities to help gauge students’ familiarity with and spark their interest in the context of the work, giving them an entry point into the text itself.

Short Answer

1. Although slavery is a difficult part of America’s history, it is still history. In recent years, some schools have called for the restriction of lessons and resources on slavery and racism due to their “unpleasantness” and the often heated conversations that arise in classrooms when students learn about racism and social constructs. Still, what would learning about American history look like without discussing the topic of slavery? Think back to a prior history lesson that either focused on or mentioned slavery. What were some “unpleasant,” yet necessary facts you learned from that lesson? What are some facts or aspects of the topic you wished you’d learned?

Teaching Suggestion: Often, traumatic histories are taught without sensitivity toward the readers of today and their potential emotional responses. Slavery is a difficult topic to discuss, regardless of the student’s individual background, but students of African ethnicity/ancestry might find this novel particularly disturbing at times. Consider initiating discussion with care and allowing for trauma-based responses and reactions from students. This quick read from understood.org offers suggestions, definitions, and tools to implement in classroom management.

Short Activity

Many historical documents are referenced in The Book of Negroes, but a significant text mentioned is the narrative of Olaudah Equiano. Equiano, a former enslaved man, wrote and published his narrative in the late 18th century. It made a major impact on the abolitionist movements in Great Britain and America. Read the following excerpt from Equiano’s narrative and take notes on possible answers to the questions that follow.

“The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, or Gustavus Vassa, the African”

1. What were the general conditions like aboard a slave ship?

2. How were captive Africans forced into subservience?

Once you’ve read this excerpt, begin researching more primary or secondary sources to gain a deeper understanding of the history of the transatlantic trading of enslaved people through note-taking. You can use your school’s research database or free searches on the Internet. Be careful of untrustworthy sources or websites. Most credible sources on slavery are from academic or cultural institutions, such as website ending in .edu or .org. Use the following questions to guide your independent research:

1. Who profited from the Transatlantic trade?

2. Who were Black Loyalists?

3. What is the significance of the Clotilda?

Teaching Suggestion: While students complete the second portion of the assignment, it could be helpful to share trusted research databases or pre-vetted materials such as the following.

• This article from Colonial Williamsburg’s slaveryandremembrance.org site describes the economics of the trading of enslaved individuals.
• This article from the University of Oxford describes the experiences of one Black Loyalist, Boston King, with excerpts from his memoir.
• This article from smithsonianmag.com describes how the Clotilda was found and its significance to the descendants of the enslaved Africans transported on the ship.

Differentiation Suggestion: For students who need more support, consider breaking them into groups, each of which researches one of the questions for further research. Each group can then share their findings with the class.

Personal Connection Prompt

This prompt can be used for in-class discussion, exploratory free-writing, or reflection homework before reading the novel.

The word diaspora means the dispersion of a people from their homeland. We often refer to the legacy of the transatlantic trade as the African Diaspora because it extends well beyond the enslaved peoples’ voyages to new countries. Many families with African descent will never truly know their entire family lineage. Have you ever had to leave a place you called home? It might be a city or town, a school, or a workplace. How did it feel to get settled in a new place? Was there a “culture shock"? Did you face any obstacles as you learned to live somewhere new? Create a short journal entry about a time when you had to leave a place you considered home. You may use the first-person pronoun “I” when describing your thoughts in your journal entry.

Teaching Suggestion: The following resources allow students to bridge gaps between today’s world and the historical time periods of the novel.

• The Richmond Art Center has an amazing digital collection of art from the African Diaspora. It shows the connection between African and Black Americans today.
• This is a short article with a map showing the movement of people in the Diaspora. It also explores the cultures of African ancestry in other countries. 

Differentiation Suggestion: Visual learners might benefit from charting the African Diaspora on a map as an alternative to writing a journal entry. Students may draw arrows to indicate the stages and main areas of the Transatlantic Trade. The map could be a valuable resource for the entire class as they study the novel.