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Show Way, a picture book by Jacqueline Woodson, tracks the story of slave quilts through her family.
The controversy surrounding coded slave quilts is alive and thriving on the internet. As the story of coded quilts was passed down through oral history, there is no actual written record of their use. On the other hand, history has shown us time and again that there are truths in the oral histories of all cultures. Could the absence of any authentic coded quilt simply mean that such quilts were also used for more mundane purposes (warmth) and were merely discarded after being worn out or could the story of coded quilts be a legend that has been passed down through the generations? The history, or legends, about escape quilts is fascinating. In Show Way (ISBN 0-399-23749-6), children follow a family’s quilting tradition, from slavery, through the Civil Rights Movement, to the birth of the author. The story is touching and children react to the tale of slave children being separated from their parents with great sadness. No one should have to live like this. Families should not be broken up. No one should ever be made a slave. Every child, regardless of skin color, knows this deep in her heart. Show Way is a good book for opening a history unit on slavery in the United States. It can also be used in art class by having children create their own secret codes using symbols. For online resources, check out: Did Slaves Use Quilts as Escape Maps? By Sarah Ives on National Geographic Kids News – Did slaves make quilts that mapped out escape routes from the South? Truth or folklore, this article presents both sides of the debate. You can also visit the author’s website at http://www.jacquelinewoodson.com/pb.shtml.
The copyright of the article Show Way in Picture Books is owned by Elizabeth Yetter. Permission to republish Show Way in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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