Barracoon

Amazing story of a man, Cudjoe Lewis, that was captured, enslaved, brought to the U.S. on the last slave ship, survived slavery and lived a free man in the brutal Jim Crow south. The story is uneven, due to the Mr. Lewis's age, but it was a fascinating glimpse into this extraordinary man's life. I listened to the audiobook and appreciated the way that the narrator, Robin Miles, gave life to Mr. Lewis's words.

This book was short but compelling. Deciding to write out Kossula’s dialogue phonetically, Hurston adds more personality to the man and the Africa he fantasizes about returning to. Though this work is sad and heartbreaking, it doesn’t touch on the most common slavery stories: whippings, travel, and being sold. I was happy to read a slave narrative that offered something unique while still painting a realistic picture of what it was like to be free in a land that offered you neither work or land after breaking the chains.