Working for Freedom

In one man's struggle for dignity and human rights, Josiah Henson's life is an epic tale as he battles against evil, dishonesty, greed, and ignorance. As a small child, he saw his father whipped for defending his mother against an attack by a white overseer. When he was nine, the family's owner beat him for trying to learn to read, and as a young man, he was viciously attacked in a barroom brawl. Yet in spite of his physical pain and emotional heartache, Josiah never lost his faith or the sense of morality that was his bedrock. As a slave, Josiah served his master well. It was only when cheated out of money he had earned to buy his manumission (freedom) papers that Josiah fled with his family to Canada. After his escape, Josiah became an outspoken advocate for those still in bondage. Working for Freedom is the story of a man who proved that one person can make a difference in seeking, defending, and promoting human rights. But most of all, it is a human story of love, loyalty, regret, betrayal, weakness, strength, and, ultimately, triumph in the face of seemingly insurmountable odds.

:Rona Arato is a children's author with a strong interest in human rights. As a writer and editor for over 20 years, she has written on a wide variety of subjects, including education, business, travel, fashion, and Internet technology. Her work has appeared in magazines and newspapers in Canada, the United States, and England, and she has written many books for children. From 1994–1998, Rona had the privilege of serving as an interviewer for Survivors of the Shoa, a Steven Spielberg project that recorded the histories of Holocaust survivors. It was this experience that fostered her interest in and desire to write about human rights. When Rona discovered Josiah Henson's story, she was immediately taken with his strength and courage in the face of seemingly insurmountable obstacles. His dedication to human rights and freedom spoke to her heart, and she hopes that his story will affect others, especially youth, in the same way it has affected her.