Amos Fortune, Free Man
Encyclopedia
Amos Fortune, Free Man is a biographical novel
by Elizabeth Yates that won the Newbery Medal
for excellence in American children's literature
in 1951. It is about a young African
prince, who when people come and attack his tribe, is captured and taken to America as a slave
. He masters a trade, frees himself by his own efforts and dies a respected citizen.
, 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 person. 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 to Jaffrey, 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 climbs a mountain and doesn't leave until he gets an answer. 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 help a woman named Lois who needed help to keep her children from being taken away. 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. Tanning is a slow process and takes about 6 months. By the time he is done with all of this he is 80 years old.
The book is based on the life of the real Amos Fortune
, who was born free in Africa in around the year 1710 and who died free in Jaffrey, New Hampshire, in 1801.
Biographical novel
The biographical novel is a genre of novel which provides a fictional and usually entertaining account of a person's life. This kind of novel concentrates on the experiences a person had during his lifetime, the people he met and the incidents which occurred are detailed and sometimes...
by Elizabeth Yates that won the Newbery Medal
Newbery Medal
The John Newbery Medal is a literary award given by the Association for Library Service to Children, a division of the American Library Association . The award is given to the author of the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children. The award has been given since 1922. ...
for excellence in American children's literature
Children's literature
Children's literature is for readers and listeners up to about age twelve; it is often defined in four different ways: books written by children, books written for children, books chosen by children, or books chosen for children. It is often illustrated. The term is used in senses which sometimes...
in 1951. It is about a young African
African people
African people refers to natives, inhabitants, or citizen of Africa and to people of African descent.-Etymology:Many etymological hypotheses that have been postulated for the ancient name "Africa":...
prince, who when people come and attack his tribe, is captured and taken to America as a slave
Slavery
Slavery is a system under which people are treated as property to be bought and sold, and are forced to work. Slaves can be held against their will from the time of their capture, purchase or birth, and deprived of the right to leave, to refuse to work, or to demand compensation...
. He masters a trade, frees himself by his own efforts and dies a respected citizen.
Plot
Amos starts out as At-mun, a young African prince, but during a raid on their village by slavers his father, the chief, is killed and At-mun kidnapped and sold in America. 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 is sold again to a man named Ichabod Richardson. Richardson teaches Amos about tanningTanning
Tanning is the making of leather from the skins of animals which does not easily decompose. Traditionally, tanning used tannin, an acidic chemical compound from which the tanning process draws its name . Coloring may occur during tanning...
, 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 person. 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 to Jaffrey, New Hampshire
Jaffrey, New Hampshire
Jaffrey is a town in Cheshire County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 5,457 at the 2010 census.The primary settlement in town, where 2,757 people resided at the 2010 census, is defined as the Jaffrey census-designated place and is located along the Contoocook River at the...
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 climbs a mountain and doesn't leave until he gets an answer. 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 help a woman named Lois who needed help to keep her children from being taken away. 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. Tanning is a slow process and takes about 6 months. By the time he is done with all of this he is 80 years old.
The book is based on the life of the real Amos Fortune
Amos Fortune (Citizen of Jaffrey)
Amos Fortune was a prominent African-American citizen of Jaffrey, New Hampshire in the 18th century. Born free in Africa and brought to America as a slave, Fortune purchased his freedom at the age of sixty and moved to Jaffrey to start a tanning business...
, who was born free in Africa in around the year 1710 and who died free in Jaffrey, New Hampshire, in 1801.