Julius Lester

Julius Lester is an author that I’d heard of but had never read. In fact, a fellow Language Arts teacher gave me one of his books to read this summer because she is interested in purchasing a class set of the title. Day of Tears, a 2006 Coretta Scott King Award Winner, is a fictitious account of a historical event called “the Weeping Time.” J. Lester (2005) describes this actual event as “the largest auction of slaves in American history” (172).

Lester’s story revolves around several people but mainly around a young slave named Emma. Emma lives with her parents on Pierce Butler’s plantation. Butler’s father was considered a good master, he treated the slaves humanely, and Pierce followed in his father’s footsteps until his wife leaves him. His wife, an English woman, does not believe in slavery and refuses to live on the plantation. When his wife leaves, Pierce gambles to deal with his emotions and apparently, his is a horrible gambler. He loses so much money he is forced to sell the majority of his slaves. Emma’s parents had been close to Pierce since childhood but he sells Emma anyway. Pierce fears his daughters rely on Emma too much and look to Emma as a mother.

This book is noteworthy not only because of the plot but also because of its structure. The story is told through the character’s thoughts (monologues), dialogue, and flashbacks. The book looks like a mixture of diary entries (thoughts and flashbacks) and a play (dialogue). In fact, this novel could easily be read aloud as a play. Due to the structure, the plot moves quickly and is straightforward. Students, though, will no doubt be shocked by the language—the N word is used casually and often.

The stories of the individual characters are powerful and many do not have happy endings. The most powerful, for me, was the minor love story of Jeffrey and Dorcas. Jeffery and Dorcas were in love before the auction but had not yet married. This meant they would not be sold as a family but separately. Jeffery, who was bought first, begged his new master to purchase Dorcas. His mater agreed but found he could not afford her. The two lovers were moved to different states but Jeffery ran away at any opportunity to find Dorcas. He was always catch and punished, severely. After the war, Jeffery is free to look for Dorcas and he finds her! She is married with children, she didn’t wait for him. He was so heartbroken he decided to drown himself to find peace.

This book is depressing but very necessary. This is the kind of book that shapes minds and lives. It will impact its readers, regardless of their knowledge of slavery, and will leave them curious about the actual events. The author’s note is a smart inclusion, I devoured the information it held, and the references page provides a starting point for further research. I highly recommend this book for 7th grade and up because of its influence on readers. I think play-reading this book will pull students into the story, especially when coupled with a unit on the Civil War. There are few books for middle schoolers, that I can name, that deal with this subject matter so powerfully and in such an attainable way.

Lester, J. (2005). Day of tears: A novel in dialogue. New York: Hyperion.

Other books by Lester:

To Be a Slave

Tales of Uncle Remus: The Adventures of Brer Rabbit

More Tales of Uncle Remus

John Henry

Sam and the Tigers

The Knee-high Man and other Tales