Abraham Lincoln, The Emancipation Proclamation, and the 13th Amendment

Gr 4–8—Taken as a whole, this series demonstrates the diversity within the abolition movement, despite the single cause uniting its followers. On its own, each title examines a key aspect of abolitionism while situating the movement within the larger social context. Excerpts from diaries, letters, newspapers, and photographs invigorate the straightforward text with vivid, sometimes shocking details that humanize the topic. One photograph from the 19th century shows a close-up of a slave's back, grotesquely scarred by whipping. A public notice for a slave auction lists the slaves' names, ages, and physical characteristics. A few of the photographs have been fully or partially colorized, which strikes a discordant note, considering the series' mostly faithful and earnest duplication of primary sources, but these are minor objections.