Frances Harper's fourth novel follows the beautiful Iola Leroy to tell the story of black families in slavery,during the Civil War, and after Emancipation. Written by the foremost black woman activist of thenineteenth century, the novel sheds light on the movements for abolition, public education, and votingrights.

This edition engages the latest research on Harper's life and work and offers way to teach these majormoments in United States history in ways that center the experiences of African Americans. Theappendices provide primary documents that help readers do what they are seldom encouraged to do:consider the experiences and perspectives of people who are not white.