 |
| Book cover from Houghton Mifflin |
Jurmain, S. (2005). The forbidden schoolhouse: The true and dramatic story of Prudence Crandall and her students. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin Co.
*Winner of a 2006 Orbis Pictus award*
This biography of Prudence Crandall focuses on her venture to operate a school for young African-American girls in the early 19th century. Her school was run out of her home in Canterbury, Connecticut, and many residents of the town were not happy about it. They antagonized the students and tried to put Crandall in prison, enacting a law that banned black students from going to school in Connecticut. Crandall is now considered a hero when it comes to equal rights and education, but she had a rough time fighting for her cause. This is an excellent book for learning about the early struggle for equal rights for African-Americans, as it also gives background about what was happening in other areas of the country in regard to abolitionism.
Wow, this sounds like a fascinating book and one I would very much like to read! Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDelete