Freedom's Daughters - by Celeste Headlee (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

"A stirring contribution to America's historical narrative."--Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

"Shines a much-needed light on the women who put their lives on the line to help others."--Booklist (starred review)

From bestselling author Celeste Headlee, an urgent and eye-opening story of the women who risked everything to ensure a generation of Black Americans had the right to read.

In the waning days of the antebellum South, millions of African Americans were suddenly released from enslavement. But they soon realized that "freedom" was not free; they were subject to hundreds of laws aimed at preventing them from voting and, in many cases, learning. Were it not for the work of an exceptional group of women--activists, educators, mothers, organizers--the foundations for Black education might never have been laid.

With Freedom's Daughters, Headlee set out to write into the record book the untold stories of these remarkable women. As a journalist who spent her career in public media, Headlee has long championed unheard voices and sought to tell the stories of those whose contributions have gone unacknowledged. But this project was fueled by an even deeper connection: Carrie Still Shepperson--one of the most important figures in this fight--is Headlee's great grandmother and one of the biggest influences in her life.

Now, after a decade of research spanning personal diaries to public records, Freedom's Daughters paints a vivid portrait of figures intentionally erased from history, recognizing the work of a generation of Black women who believed freedom was inextricably linked with learning and free expression, and who worked tirelessly to secure access to literacy and education for a generation of children born into freedom.

By turns shocking, inspiring, and deeply moving, Freedom's Daughters is Headlee's impeccably researched journey to better understand her family history and herself, and a timely examination of the influence and power of unfettered access to schools, libraries, and higher education.

Review Quotes

"Freedom's Daughters is a moving testament to how new revelations surface when telling history is in the hands of slavery's descendants. Celeste Headlee feelingly recovers her fascinating family story, introducing readers to the remarkable educator, activist, and matriarch, Carrie Still Shepperson. An award-winning journalist, Headlee challenges each of us to know the past and to discover what we can do with it in our own time." --Martha S. Jones, author of The Trouble of Color: An American Family Memoir

"With Freedom's Daughters, Celeste Headlee rigorously and vividly restores the history of Black women erased from the record. This stunning, deeply personal book reminds us that these women fought oppression with the ultimate weapon of education, and that we must continue to defend our right to learn with that same fierce determination." --Anna Malaika Tubbs, New York Times bestselling author of The Three Mothers and Erased

"Freedom's Daughters is ostensibly a story of Headlee's great-grandmother Carrie Still Shepperson and her heroic work for not only her family, but for the plight of African-Americans in the Deep South after reconstruction. When you read this book, you will quickly discover that Carrie is a metaphor for strength, power, resilience, fearlessness and above all, intelligence--something that African-American women have carried on their shoulders and souls--without the celebratory mythology of their male counterparts." --Christian McBride, Grammy-winning jazz bassist, bandleader, and composer

"Headlee's dogged unearthing of buried truths revives a woman who has been unjustly ignored by historians, and she makes a persuasive case that many other Black women, like the indefatigable Shepperson, deserve to be celebrated. A stirring contribution to America's historical narrative." --Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

"[A] generous, richly illuminating look at the indispensable role Black women played in the development of educational resources for their families and for the nation's future." --The Boston Globe

"Freedom's Daughters shines a much-needed light on the women who put their lives on the line to help others. Headlee's engaging writing style smoothly incorporates her extensive research, and she also makes connections to today's political climate. It is a must-read for those looking for stories of Black women's advocacy and triumph, and of fighting back when obstacles seem insurmountable. Essential for public and academic libraries." --Booklist (starred review)

About the Author

Celeste Headlee is an award-winning journalist, professional speaker and the author of Speaking of Race, We Need To Talk, and Do Nothing. She is a regular guest host on NPR and American Public Media and a highly sought consultant. Her TEDx Talk sharing ten ways to have a better conversation has over twenty-three million total views. Headlee is the recipient of the 2019 Media Changemaker Award. She is the proud granddaughter of composer William Grant Still, the Dean of African American Composers.