Black Pawl-Ben Ames Williams

In 1828, young Tad Hopkins takes an adventure-filled trip down the Mississippi River to meet his father in New Orleans. Along the way he befriends a remarkable young man who is destined for history. It is my privilege to offer this audio version of another of Stephen W. Meader’s beautifully written YA adventures, which so vividly document the history of North America. However, I must acknowledge the racist language and attitudes that appear, which reflect the time and place where it is set (the Mississippi River in 1828), and the time of its publishing a hundred years later. It is likely that many of the young readers for whom it was intended were negatively influenced by this content. The book serves as an historical record of racism. Those reading it today will benefit from understanding this context, and from engaging in discussion about it. (Summary by Warren Bergmann)