Exhibition of Illustrated Children’s Books on Slavery in the North Opens at UMass Amherst

Written by Chloe Borgida '25

Academics

A new  exhibition at the University of Massachusetts Amherst  is offering a vital and often-overlooked perspective on the history of slavery. Sowing History, Reaping Justice: Writing Children’s Books About Slavery in Canada and the US North presents 18 original illustrated children’s books created by students in Provost Professor of Art History and founding director of the Slavery North Initiative Dr. Charmaine A. Nelson’s spring 2025 art history course, The Visual Culture of Slavery. 

The exhibition was curated by Dr. Nelson with exhibition design by Emily Davidson, director of research and engagement at Slavery North. It offers an age-appropriate educational resource that sheds light on the lives and experiences of enslaved Black individuals in regions often overshadowed in narratives of Transatlantic Slavery.

A young child, bundled in a gray cloak and patterned head covering, stands in a snowy landscape, gazing towards a large stone building with open red doors. Inside the doorway, a glimpse of a vibrant green and purple landscape is visible. Above the building, a bright, multi-pointed star shines in the clear, blue, star-speckled night sky. The ground is covered in snow, with faint tracks leading towards the open doors. Stone walls extend outwards from the building on either side.

 

Hosted at Slavery North on the UMass Amherst campus, the exhibition marks a step towards addressing a critical gap in both academic discourse and children's literature. “There is no shortage of children’s books focused on slavery in tropical regions,” says Dr. Nelson. “What is missing is academic and children’s literature about slavery in the North.” 

These student-authored books —written and illustrated by Norah Aalto, Yarra Berger, Kit Bold, Georgia Brabec, Katya Duong, August Etzel, Lukas Franken, Sasha Harriman, Abigail Kinsman, Ellie Kinsman, Sara Kronfeld, Magdalene Marcus, Emmanuel Nkuranga, River Riddle, Clarise Seguin, Zara Patricia Sharif, Timothy Therrien, and Olivia White — directly confront this absence. Their work offers young readers an accessible way to engage with a complex and essential part of North American history.

Two brown hands gently hold a piece of aged paper with handwritten text and a red seal. The hands are wearing white cuffs. The background is a vibrant swirl of yellow, blue, and pink, adorned with numerous white and yellow stars of varying sizes. Above the hands, text reads: "The day that Peter got his freedom papers. His heart swelled with pride. 'I have accomplished the impossible!' Peter cheered. But Peter always knew he could do it."

Graduate student Georgia Brabec’s book, Charlotte and the North Star, focuses on the experience of a child enslaved at Fort Snelling, a military base near her hometown in Minnesota. Her work highlights the importance of confronting localized histories to grasp the deep roots of racial injustice across North America. Emmanuel Nkuranga’s Kumbuka: The Boy Who Was Stolen from Africa, tells a fictional yet representative story of the millions of children forcibly taken from Africa and forced into slavery.

“At a time when various forces are conspiring to sanitize these histories or to ensure that they are not taught at all, this work is more important than ever,” says Dr. Nelson. 

The exhibition runs from April 16 through June 6, 2025, and is open from Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. – 8 p.m. The exhibition is free, appropriate for all ages, and open to the public. There is paid parking available on-site in lot 52. 

For more information, visit https://slaverynorth.com/event/sowing-history/ 

Images provided by Slavery North. Images: Charlotte and the North Star, written and illustrated by Georgia Brabec, UMass Amherst art history graduate student, Peter’s Journey, written and illustrated by Yarra Berger, UMass Amherst art history graduate student.
 

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