Amos Fortune, Free Man

Author

Amos Fortune, Free Man Elizabeth Yates

Slavery/Non-Fiction

My Personal Summary

Amos Fortune’s real name is At-mun. He was originally from the At-mun-shi tribe in Africa. That’s when the slave traders attacked. They killed, and took all that they could. The At-mun-shi, along with others peoples were forced to sit in the bottom of ships for months, until they were sold in America for very low prices. The only way Amos would ever find his sister would be because of her deformed leg.

Amos Fortune was a slave. But he was still joyful all of his life. He was taught how to read, and read the “Good Book” and believed in the Lord. Once he earned his own freedom, he went looking for his sister, Ath-mun, that he hadn’t seen for almost forty years.

Lily was the woman he loved. She was a slave to Jonathon Twombly. Every Sunday, Amos would visit her and talk to her. Once he had gathered up his money, Amos went to Jonathon Twombly’s house, and they discussed her price. “She won’t make you much of a wife, Mr. Twombly had said. And she will die soon.” “Then she will; die a free woman.” said Amos. He bought Lily, and she was free. They lived together for only a year before she died. Even after she had died, Amos thought of Ath-mun, his sister. And wanted to find her more than anything.

One day, while delivering a load of leather to Josiah Bowers, the cook servant offered him a bowl of soup. Amos went inside, and joined in the gathering of slaves around the fire. They all were singing and praying and talking. But no one sang as sweetly as Lydia, a beautiful servant. But when she got up on a call to her master, she dragged herself across the floor with a crutch, for she had a lame leg. “Why is she lame?” Amos asked. “She wasn’t always lame. They broke her legs on the way over here, they just haven’t been right since.” Amos went to talk to Lydia’s master, Josiah Bower. “ I want to buy Lydia, Mr. Bower.” Amos offered. “She is a well-trained servant. I will have to say 50 pounds.”

Amos worked hard for the money, three years worth of hard work. And finally he bought Lydia, and she was free. They talked of the old times in Africa, and Lydia was so happy to finally be free. But Lydia only enjoyed the sweetness of freedom for a year, then Lydia too, went home to the good place.

Years passed. Years without a woman in the house. Amos didn’t mind living alone, oh but the benefits of having a woman in the house. He knew that Violet would live long, because she was young and strong. She had a child, Celyndia. Again, Amos worked hard for the slave and her daughter, and finally, he had earned the money to buy Violet and Celyndia.They moved from Keene to Jaffrey. And there started their lives in a peaceful valley with quiet people. Amos was a tanner, and Violet and Celyndia were happy, and all was going well.

The Book’s Summary

Amos Fortune was born the son of a king in the At-mun-shi tribe in Africa. The year was 1710. At fifteen he was captured by slave traders and brought to Massachusetts, where he was sold at auction. There he lived as a slave until he was sixty years old and able to purchase his freedom. Then he began again to save subsequently bought the freedom of several others. At seventy Amos began a settled life for himself with his wife and his adopted daughter in the small village of Jaffrey, New Hampshire. He was an expert tanner, and when he died in 1801, he was one of the most respected citizens of Jaffery.Today, his tombstone can still be found in the village churchyard, a memorial to a man “who was born free in Africa, a slave in America, who purchased his liberty, professed his Christianity, lived reputably, and died hopefully.”

My Review

I thought this book was great. It really got me thinking about slavery, and how wrong it is. I’m glad that it was abolished. I want to read other books by this author. This book started out kind of slow, but got going after a while.

About the Author

Elizabeth Yates Age: 95

Died: Concord, N.H., July 29, 2001

Amos Fortune, Free Man was the Newberry Award Winner of 1951.this book was published April 1950.

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Other Books

Carolina’s Courage ,Prudence Crandall:Woman of Courage, Patterns on the wall, On That Night, Someday you’ll Write An Easter Story, Children Of The Bible, Sir Gibble, With Pipe,Paddle,and Song, Up The Golden Star