ABOLITION AND THE AFRICAN AMERICAN STORY

Nekia Renee Martin guides listeners through a surprisingly comprehensive account of 19th-century African American resistance. Despite the title, the chronological territory covered ranges well beyond abolition and the Civil War to Reconstruction and the beginnings of Jim Crow. Martin's strong yet musical narration introduces youngsters to such touch points as the slave trade, the Underground Railroad, the Dred Scott decision, Black soldiers in the Union Army, the Freedmen's Bureau, and more. Kids will meet a panoply of notable Black individuals, including journalists, inventors, statesmen, and activists. There's so much information that the audiobook has a hodgepodge feel. Martin's steady cadence helps keep listeners oriented to this serviceable introduction to African American history. [Published: JANUARY 2026]