Fifty Years in Chains; or, the Life of an American Slave

"Fifty Years in Chains; or, the Life of an American Slave" by Charles Ball is a true story from the 1800s that shares one man’s experiences as a slave in the Southern United States. The book gives a first-hand account of slavery and how it affected people and families. The author begins by remembering when he was painfully pulled away from his mother at a young age. He talks about his tough childhood, the agony of being taken from his mother, and the cruel world he was forced to navigate as a slave. The book paints an important picture of the pain, strength, and desire for family that defined the lives of slaves.