Freedom Over Me

Title: Freedom over Me: Eleven Slave, Their Lives and Dreams Brought to Life

Writer: Ashley Bryan

Illustrator: Ashley Bryan

Publisher: Atheneum Books for Young Readers

Cover image © Atheneum Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Simon & Schuster. Used under fair use for educational review purposes.

This poetry book took an appraisement of property from July 5 1828, which listed 11 enslaved people. Ashley Bryan has written two poems for each of the, the first to explain their life as an enslaved person and the second to show where they came from and their hopes and dreams.

Summary

This book brought tears to my eyes for two reasons. First, it humanized a group of people largely forgotten by history. While their individual stories are imagined, Bryan created them from whole cloth but grounded them in truth. Second, Bryan not only captured the lived reality of enslaved people but also honored their possible origins in Africa. He wove in customs and traditions from multiple African cultures, all supported by factual evidence. Through these poems, he restored dignity to the names of the enslaved individuals and offered readers a deeper understanding of where they may have come from. Beyond the literary quality, his illustrations are beautiful. They are colorful and vibrant, filled with humanity and care. Each image complements the poems, bringing the stories to life in a way that feels both tender and reverent. The illustrations do more than accompany the text; they deepen the reader’s emotional connection to the people and histories Bryan sought to honor.

Cultural Analysis

The poetry is written in free verse, which is not a personal favorite of mine since I tend to prefer more structured forms. It reads more like narrative verse than traditional poetry. Still, it is skillfully crafted and powerfully told. Each enslaved person has a distinct voice, and though their stories are imagined, they echo the millions of forgotten lives of enslaved people in what is now the United States.

Two passages resonated deeply with me. The first comes from the poem “Stephen.” At the end, he says:

“Owners of the slaves think

Reading would give us

ideas for freedom.

We know that whether we can read

or not,

We all want to be free.”

The cry for freedom and liberation runs through nearly every poem. For Stephen, learning to read is both an act of resistance and of joy. He secretly teaches himself, his wife, and their adopted son, John. Though John is not their child by birth, the cruelty of slavery forged new families. Several poems refer to this as a “slave family,” showing that alongside their longing for freedom, they also yearned for human connection, as all people do.

The second passage that stayed with me comes from “Bacus Dreams,” the second poem featuring Bacus. The first poem in each pair describes the person’s life within the Fairchild household, while the second captures their dream for what might have been. In Bacus’s dream, he says:

“Every stroke [of his hammer on the forge] striking the note:

WHAM! WHAM!

A blow for JUSTICE:

BAM! BAM!

A cry for RESPECT:

BLAM! BLAM!”

Like his “slave family,” Bacus is driven by a deep and unrelenting desire for freedom and dignity. His hammer becomes more than a tool—it becomes his voice. Every strike is a declaration of worth and strength, a cry against the silence imposed on him. Bryan’s choice to let Bacus’s dream take place at the forge is powerful because it transforms a place of labor into a space of creation and hope. In that rhythmic chant of WHAM, BAM, and BLAM, you can almost hear the heartbeat of resistance. It is both defiant and deeply human, a reminder that even in bondage, there was imagination, purpose, and the will to be free.

Literary Quality

Language/Speech

The entire book is written in poetic form. It does not contain slang and is written in clear, standard American English. The language is accessible to a wide audience that includes both children and adults, as well as native and non-native speakers. The only word that some readers may find offensive is Negro, but it is used within a historical context and clearly presented with respect. There is no use of derogatory language, mockery, or code switching, and no foreign languages are included in the text.

Characters

The book features eleven characters, each an enslaved person listed on an appraisement after the death of their enslaver. Every name on that list is given life through Bryan’s imagination, complete with a job, a history, and a voice. The character who stood out to me most was Betty, who designed the gardens at the Fairchilds’ estate. She was also loaned out to other plantations to design their gardens. Betty tells her fellow “slave family” members:

“It is our special talents,

often on loan to others,

that has brought renown

to the Fairchildses’ estate.

Our.”

This passage shows Betty’s clear understanding of her own worth and the value of her skills, even within a system that sought to erase her humanity. She takes pride in her work and holds onto her identity in spite of the cruelty of slavery. Through Betty and the others, Bryan reminds readers that dignity and self-worth can exist even in the harshest conditions.

Cultural Background

This book was written and illustrated by Ashley Bryan, an African American professor, writer, and illustrator. He was a three-time winner of the Coretta Scott King Award, which honors outstanding African American authors and illustrators whose work reflects the African American experience. His deep respect for history and culture is evident in Freedom Over Me, where he gives voice and humanity to those who were silenced by slavery, using both poetry and art to honor their lives and dreams.

Lifestyle

This book depicts the lives of enslaved people during the 1820s. It tells the unvarnished story of their enslavement while also humanizing them through moments of quiet resistance and resilience. Several characters defy their enslavers by secretly learning to read, finding small but powerful ways to claim their freedom and preserve their dignity.

Photograph of Ashley Bryan from the Ashley Bryan Center. © Ashley Bryan Center. Used under fair use for educational purposes.

Artistic Quality

The art is beautiful. Bryan uses an exaggerated, whimsical style to depict the characters, yet the exaggeration never distorts them in a stereotypical or disrespectful way. Each person is distinct, with unique features and expressions, though some faces lean slightly toward caricature. If Bryan were not African American, I might view these depictions more critically, but given his heritage and intent, it is clear that his choices are stylistic rather than exploitative. Every illustration is created with care and respect, capturing both the individuality and humanity of the people he portrays.

Illustration from Freedom Over Me: Eleven Slaves, Their Lives and Dreams Brought to Life, written and illustrated by Ashley Bryan, © Atheneum Books (an imprint of Simon & Schuster), 2016. Used under fair use for educational analysis.

Illustration Purpose

The purpose of the illustrations is to depict the diversity of the enslaved African diaspora. The colors in the first set of portraits are muted, and the backgrounds include newspaper clippings and legal documents that reference enslaved people. These elements appear behind the first poem in each pair, grounding the reader in the historical reality of their enslavement. In contrast, the second poem in each pair illustrates their personal histories, dreams, or memories of Africa. The colors in these images are vibrant and lively, reflecting hope, identity, and the inner lives of the people Bryan portrays.

Purpose

As explained throughout this evaluation, this book was written by Ashley Bryan, an African American man who sought to give voice to the voiceless and to shine a light on the untold stories of the people upon whose backs this country was built. Through both poetry and art, he restores humanity and individuality to those whose names survive only in historical records, allowing readers to see them not as property, but as people with dreams, talents, and dignity.

Insider/Outsider Status

Bryan was an insider as he wrote about the African American experience. Though he was not an enslaved person himself, he likely had ancestors who had been.

Conclusion

This is a beautifully written and illustrated book. It is well-researched and presented through the unique perspectives of the enslaved people it portrays. Each character is distinct, with a personal history, voice, and vision for the future. Bryan’s work invites readers to see their humanity and to reflect on the resilience and hope that endured even in the darkest of times. It is a highly recommended addition to any library collection.