Fate & Freedom: Book I - The Middle Passage

by K I Knight

Overview

2020 INDEPENDENT BOOK AWARDS WINNER - BEST SERIES

2015 FLORIDA AUTHORS AND PUBLISHERS PRESIDENT'S BOOK AWARDS WINNER - BEST HISTORICAL FICTION GOLD

2018 AFRO AMERICAN HISTORICAL AND GENEALOGICAL BOOK AWARDS WINNER - ADULT HISTORICAL FICTION

2018 AFRO AMERICAN HISTORICAL AND GENEALOGICAL BOOK AWARDS WINNER - YOUNG ADULT FICTION

A SERIES FOR ALL AGES.

Torn from their homeland in Africa by brutal slave traders Margaret and John are shipped four thousand miles away to the silver mines of Mexico. Unexpectedly, the slaver is pirated at sea and the Calvinist Reverend turned Privateer, Captain Jope, takes Margaret and John to the shores of Virginia instead. Based on exhaustive genealogical and historical research, this epic novel traces the fate of the passengers on what has since become known as the "Black Mayflower." Margaret and John brave disease, Indian attacks, and political intrigue in England and America, as they are among the first Africans to settle in Virginia, long before slavery became institutionalized there. Set against the backdrop of warfare between Spain and England and the power struggles within the Virginia Company in London and Jamestown, Margaret and John's journey to freedom is a powerful saga of courage and survival at the dawn of America's history.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780990836513
Publisher:	First Freedom Publishing LLC
Publication date:	12/08/2014
Series:	Fate & Freedom , #1
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	414
Sales rank:	658,042
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.92(d)
Age Range:	13 - 18 Years

About the Author

K I Knight is an international award-winning Author, Genealogist, Historian, Public Speaker, and Cemetery Preservationist. Knight has logged more than 20,000 hours researching the first documented Africans to arrive in the English settlement of Virginia, beginning in 1619. In 2016, as an advisory board member for Project 1619, Knight co-curated the "1619 First African Landing" exhibit at the Hampton History Museum in Hampton, Virginia. Her passion is unrivaled and strongly evident in her published writings. Her literary work includes "Fate & Freedom," a five star - Gold medal historical series, and as her nonfiction work, "Unveiled - The Twenty and Odd," released May 18, 2019. In August 2019, Knight's research took center stage with the 400th Anniversary of the "Arrival of the First Africans in Virginia in 1619." Her literary work has been used by journalism outlets around the world, including - Associated Press, USAToday, TIME, Washington Post, BBC, and the National Parks Magazine, to name a few. Recognized by several African American hereditary societies, including The Sons & Daughters of the US Middle Passage and the Afro-American Historical & Genealogical Society, Knight's research was featured in the AAHGS Journal - 400th Anniversary Commemorative Addition. Knight is a board member for several national non-profit organizations across the country and is an active member of numerous historical, genealogical, and literary associations, as well. The mother of three adult children, Knight, lives in Central Florida and is the Director of 1619 Genealogy.

Editorial Reviews

A young girl must adapt to a new life after losing her freedom in this sweeping debut work of historical fiction.

Margaret lives in Pongo, a town in Angola, situated on the western coast of Africa. She is the daughter of a Soba, a community leader, and her family holds a highly respected place in her community. Life changes drastically for the 8-year-old girl when Imbangala destroys her village, murder her family, and force her into slavery. What follows is a horror-filled journey for Margaret and her friend John. Their paths eventually intersect with Capt. Jope's, a minister and buccaneer who believes it's God's will for him to ensure the safety of the young African children. Yet Margaret's and John's fates become irrevocably linked to several powerful men in England, including the Earl of Warwick and Sir Edwin Sandys. These two wealthy men lead opposing factions vying for control of the Virginia Company and their financial interests abroad in the American colonies. Though Margaret and John find peace and contentment in England, they are merely pawns in a larger political game. They are sent to Virginia, where Margaret must endure the ever-present hardship and fear of an early colonist. At times tragic and gruesome, Knight's first installment in a series of historical novels is a story of resilience and survival. The author does an excellent job of using Margaret's and John's experiences as a window to a broader narrative involving universal themes of power, money, and religion. The often-overlooked story of the "black Mayflower" and the early arrival of Africans on the shores of America is detailed and well researched. Knight capably interweaves facts with fiction, bringing the historical figures alive.

A compelling cast breathes life into a story that traces the roots of American slavery back to the 17th century.

From the Publisher