In the Shadow of Liberty: The Hidden History of Slavery, Four Presidents, and Five Black Lives
by Kenneth C. Davis
Middle School    Holt    279 pp.
9/16    978-1-62779-311-7    $17.99

Best known for his Don’t Know Much About History titles, Davis here presents another view of the American past, bringing to light the stories of five enslaved individuals who were considered the property of four well-known presidents. After a succinct overview of African chattel slavery in the United States, Davis moves into chapters featuring Billy Lee and Ona Judge, enslaved members of George Washington’s 
household. Adroitly weaving what is known of Lee (Washington’s lifelong manservant) and Judge (Martha 
Washington’s chambermaid, whose 
successful escape infuriated the country’s first leader) into more commonly known history, Davis gives them voice while also painting a nuanced portrait of Washington. Moving on to the even more complex Thomas Jefferson, we learn not just of Sally Hemings but of Isaac Granger, too, another of “Mr. 
Jefferson’s people.” Davis concludes with accounts of Paul Jennings, an enslaved servant of the Madisons, and Alfred, who spent his life toiling for Andrew Jackson. Along the way, Davis raises provocative questions. Are statements giving a positive impression of a slave master sincere or made under duress, to avoid punishment? What are we to make of slavery-advocate Jackson paying Alfred’s hefty legal fees when he was on trial for murder? Timelines, overviews of significant political moments, and primary-source images provide further context. Davis’s solid research (there are source notes and bibliographies for each chapter), accessible prose, and determination to make these stories known give young readers an important alternative to textbook representations of colonial life. Index unseen.

From the September/October 2016 issue of The Horn Book Magazine.