WHEN PEOPLE WERE THINGS

This powerful memoir explores the devastating legacy of human ownership through the author's deeply personal account of their family's history with slavery. The narrative traces the journey of ancestors who were legally considered property, examining the psychological and emotional trauma that echoes through generations. It's a raw, unflinching look at how systems of oppression dehumanize both the enslaved and the enslaver, told with remarkable clarity and emotional precision. This book transforms abstract historical facts into intimate, human stories that demand to be heard.

What makes this work particularly compelling is its refusal to offer easy answers or simple resolutions, instead presenting the complex reality of healing from intergenerational trauma. Teen readers studying American history will find it provides crucial context missing from textbooks, while any young adult grappling with questions of identity and inheritance will discover profound insights. The author's courageous vulnerability makes this difficult subject accessible without diminishing its gravity, creating a reading experience that is both educational and deeply moving. This is essential reading for understanding how the past continues to shape our present.