The Book of Negroes by Lawrence Hill
The Book of Negroes by Lawrence Hill is a historical novel published in 2007 (known as Someone Knows My Name in the United States). It follows the life of Aminata Diallo, who is kidnapped from her village in West Africa at the age of eleven, forced into slavery, and endures the Middle Passage to America.
Aminata’s journey is marked by resilience: she learns to read and write, is sold to different owners, and eventually works for the British during the American Revolutionary War. Her loyalty to the British leads to her freedom and a role in registering former slaves in the “Book of Negroes,” a real historical document that listed African Americans who sought to leave the United States for Canada or Sierra Leone.
After facing continued hardship and discrimination in Nova Scotia, Aminata joins the journey to Sierra Leone and later moves to England, where she becomes a prominent voice for abolition. The novel is praised for its vivid portrayal of slavery, freedom, and the complexities of identity and belonging.
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