Freedom Lessons by Eileen Harrison Sanchez Book Review

 

This is a book I “won” through a Facebook group, Prose and the Pandemic. Ms. Sanchez is one of the founding authors.

There is such an important story held within the pages of this book. This story takes place back in 1969 to 1970 (I was only two years old!) when desegregation in schools was beginning to happen. Frank is a young black man who wants to gain a scholarship to go on to college to further his football career. Evelyn is a black teacher at the school who is leery of white people. And Colleen is a newly graduated white teacher who takes her first teaching job at the black high school. These are the three people who tell this tale. Colleen wants to see changes implemented immediately. While that doesn’t happen overnight, she is able to make her mark. Evelyn is quite skeptical of Colleen and her intentions, but she learns that Colleen is the “real deal.” She is, sadly, afraid to be seen talking to Colleen. There is so much to this story.

While reading this story, I was mad and sad all at the same time. Mad because this happened and in some parts of the world still does, and sad because this happened and in some parts of the world still does. The inscription Ms. Sanchez included in her book has so much more meaning knowing what this book is about. That inscription says: Be the change you want to see.