"Come join me as I take you back to Charleston, South Carolina, to my father's forge in the early 1800's. Sit with me on the woodpile as he tells a tale of faith, hope, or love."
In this extraordinary collection, Charlotte Jefferies and her father Price, a former slave, introduce us to twelve best loved Bible tales, from Genesis to Daniel, and reveal their significance in the lives of African Americans—and indeed of all oppressed peoples.
When Charlotte wants to understand the cruel injustices of her time, she turns to her father. Does the powerful slaveholder, Mr. Sam Riley, who seems to own all that surrounds them, also own the sun and moon? she wonders. Price's answer is to tell the story of Creation. How can God allow an evil like slavery to exist? she asks. Price responds by telling the story of the Hebrews' Exodus — and shows Charlotte that someday their people, too, will be free.
With exquisite clarity, Patricia and Fredrick McKissack and James Ransome — a Newbery Honor winner and all Coretta Scott King Award winners — brilliantly illuminate the parallels between the stories of the Jews and African-American history. Let My People Go is a triumphant celebration of both the human spirit and the enduring power of story as a source of strength.
Our hope is that this book will be like a lighthouse that can guide young readers through good times and bad....The ideas that these ancient stories hold are not for one people, at one time, in one place. They are for all of us, for all times, everywhere.
—from the Authors' Note to Let My People Go
The daughter of a free black man who worked as a blacksmith in Charleston, South Carolina, in the early 1800s recalls the stories from the Bible that her father shared with her, relating them to the experiences of African Americans.
From Chapter To Slay a Giant
But thou hast saved us from our enemies,
and hast put them to shame that hated us.
In God we boast all the day long,
and praise thy name for ever."
The boy took careful aim and rushed toward the giant. He let the stone fly. Swoooooooh! It hit Goliath square in the middle of his forehead.
Goliath shook from head to toe, blinked his eyes, and keeled over like a rootless tree. Quickly, David rushed for a sword and chopped off the giant's head.
The Philistines scattered like snakes fleeing from fire when they saw that a mere boy had defeated the best among them.
Word spread quickly that David had killed the Philistine giant. The Israelites loved him and sang songs 'bout him. But David gave God the glory.
David the shepherd boy was a natural-born leader who would go on to become one of the greatest kings of Israel. During his long and glorious life, he had to slay many giants that loomed tall in the form of big, big troubles and great mistakes. How did he do it? Hear King David's voice, singing to us from the ages:
"Blessed is the man that walketh not in the
counsel of the ungodly,
nor standeth in the way of sinners,
nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.
But his delight is in the law of the Lord;
and in his law doth he mediate day and night.
And he shall be like a tree, planted by
the river water,
that bringeth forth his fruit in his season;
his leaf also shall not wither
and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper...
the way of the ungodly shall perish."
Text copyright © 1998 by Patricia and Fredrick McKissack
Illustrations copyright © 1998 by James Ransome
Contents
Authors' Note
Illustrator's Note
Charlotte's Introduction
Something Wonderful Out of Nothing
The Creation
Making Choices
The Fall and Cain and Abel
The Big Water
Noah and the Flood
A Love Worth Waiting For
Jacob and Rachel
How Can You Forgive?
The Story of Joseph
God Will Not Hold With Wrong
Moses and the Exodus
*Beautiful color illustrations *Words that will capture your heart and mind *Good for evening storytelling for youth or anytime for storytelling to youth **Must be careful of certain "artistic license" in which the stories have been altered from the Bible to suit the storytelling fashion. For example, on page 16 "Eve when she was alone, ..." - The Bible states Adam was by Eve when the serpent spoke to Eve. *A wonderful way to listen to the Bible stories
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Overview
In this extraordinary collection, Charlotte Jefferies and her father Price, a former slave, introduce us to twelve best loved Bible tales, from Genesis to Daniel, and reveal their significance in the lives of African Americans—and indeed of all oppressed peoples.
When ...