The Slave Dancer
Fox, Paula
Readability: 7
Newbery Award 1974
Setting: the slave ship, The Moonlight, 1840
Main Characters: Jessie Bollier and the crew of The Moonlight

"Jessie played the fife on the streets of New Orleans. The money he received helped Jessie and his widowed mother to live."

Then Jessie was kidnapped and taken aboard the slave ship, The Moonlight. The captain wanted strong slaves. Strong slaves brought high prices in the slave markets.

Jessie Bollier was kidnapped from New Orleans and carried off to The Moonlight, an illegal slave ship, because he played the fife. Jessie's job was to play the fife while the slaves "danced"; shuffling in their heavy iron shackles under the lash of the whip. The journey was a horror to Jessie. Off the coast of Cuba, their destination, an American patrol boat almost catches them. The slaves are dumped overboard with the exception of one boy, Ras. Jessie and Ras hide in the hold. The Moonlight runs from the patrol into a hurricane. The Moonlight goes on the reef off the coast of Mississippi, and the only survivors are Jessie and Ras, who make it to shore. An old black man, an escaped slave, helps them, sends Ras North on the underground railroad, and Jessie home to New Orleans.

Questions:

1. What is the story about?


2. Were the sailors good to Jessie?


3. Did Stout start the voyage as first mate?


4. Was Jessie aware of Ras before the hurricane?


5. Do you share Jessie's feelings about slavery? Explain.