"Hard Labor: The First African-Americans, 1619" by Fredrick McKissack explores the harrowing and inspiring history of the first African Americans in the English colonies. The book chronicles the arrival of enslaved Africans in 1619 and their struggles against oppression, examining their contributions to American society despite the brutal realities of slavery. Through detailed narratives and personal stories, it highlights the resilience, courage, and cultural heritage of African Americans. McKissack emphasizes the impact of their labor on the development of the nation while shedding light on the ongoing fight for freedom and equality that began with these early pioneers. [Generated by language model - please report any problems].

This book is part of a book series called Milestone Books .

This book has been graded for interest at 7-10 years.

There are 68 pages in this book. This book was published in 2004 by Aladdin Paperbacks .

Patricia C. McKissack has written more than one hundred books about the African American experience. Joe Hayes is one of America's premier storytellers. He grew up in a small town in southern Arizona where he learned Spanish from his classmates. As he got older, Joe began gathering old stories from the Southwest. Joe has earned a distinctive role as a bilingual storyteller. Joseph Daniel Fiedler was born and raised in the Appalachian hill country of Western Pennsylvania. He attended the Ivy School of Professional Art and Carnegie Mellon University. His work has appeared in numberous national and international publications, including Time and Business Week, and he is the recipient of a Silver Medal from the Society of Illustrators for book illustration. Patricia and Fredrick McKissack are the authors of numerous award-winning books, including REBELS AGAINST SLAVERY: AMERICAN SLAVE REVOLTS and BLACK HANDS, WHITE SAILS: THE STORY OF AFRICAN AMERICAN WHALERS, both Coretta Scott King Honor Books, and SOJOURNER TRUTH: AIN'T I A WOMAN? a Coretta Scott King Honor Book and winner of the Boston Globe/Horn Book Award. Patricia and Fredrick McKissack live in St. Louis, Missouri. John McKissack resides in Memphis, Tennessee.