Encyclopedia of Free Blacks and People of Color in the Americas

Gr 7 Up—Volume one of this valuable set opens with a chronology listing events from 1435 to 1898, which is followed by articles covering places and people, and the origin and significance of selected events. Topics include abolition and resistance to slavery; John Adams and his impact on the institution; journalism and African Americans; the role of Kansas before, during, and immediately after the Civil War; and the life of Zumbi, a Brazilian rebel-slave leader. Each article is informative, clearly written, and extensive, providing readers with a mini history and a few further-reading citations. The pieces are complemented by black-and-white photos, reproductions, maps ("Spanish and Portuguese Settlements in the Americas, 1600"), and tables ("African-American Population of Virginia, 1790–1900"). The 29-page bibliography lists hundreds of books, journal articles, and websites. An excellent source of information on African American and other minority experiences.—Carol Jones Collins, Hanover Park High School, East Hanover, NJ