The saga of the Black people’s struggle for equality has been well documented in history. Heroes, like Martin Luther King jr., Nelson Mandela are well known all over the world. However women too, have played a very important role in Black history.

From Rosa Parks, the woman who sparked off the equal rights movement in the US, to Halle Berry, the only woman of African American origin to have won an academy award for best actress – each of these women, in their own way, have contributed hugely towards their cause. I recently found two books about such remarkable women, who made their mark in the world through their faith, and courage.

Scholastic’s ‘Sojourner Truth’, part of the ‘In their own words’ collection, should not be missed. Written by Peter and Connie Roop in simple and lucid language, it can be read by all ages. It is the moving story of a woman, Isabella Hardenbergh, who was born a slave in New York in the late 1700’s. She was plagued by troubles from the start.

Separated from her parents in her teens, she leads the life of a hard-working slave. She is compelled to watch and suffer silently as her parents and husband die, and her children separated and sold in front of her eyes. In spite of the hardships, Isabella doesn’t give up. Eventually, she is freed and even fights successfully for her son’s custody in court. Isabella, now a free woman, decides to spread her message through her singing, as gives herself a new name – Sojourner Truth.

The books records Sojourner’s phenomenal journey from being a slave to rubbing shoulders with Abraham Lincoln, Harriet Beecher Stowe, Frederick Douglas and many other famous people of the day. It is a must-read and is very inspiring. It is very well written in a straightforward style, interjected with letters, newspaper cuttings and photographs.

At her majesty’s request

This is another book about an equally brave woman, one who enjoyed the privilege of being an African princess in Victorian England, a protégée of the Queen herself.

Sarah Forbes Bonetta, as she would later be christened, was born as an African princess in the mid 1800’s, at a time when there were bloody feuds between kings and slavery. Her royalty saved her from being deported as a slave, but she ended up on the sacrificial altar of a ruthless king.

She is dramatically saved by an English officer, and presented to the queen. From then onwards, her life turns around completely, and she is a celebrity in London, surrounded by wealth and royalty, and a favorite of the Queen’s. The rest of the book dramatically narrates the story of her life – a life so extravagant and adventurous, that we are invariably drawn into her world. 

But, amidst all the fanfare, we can sense her mixed feelings. As an African princess in England, she feels out of place, and even in Africa, she feels different due to her English upbringing. We too, can feel her pain and confusion at not belonging anywhere, and yet she never complains.

Her amazing courage helps her through all of life’s challenges, and we can truly see the princess in her, as we read about her extraordinary saga, from the sacrificial altar to the Queen’s palace.

This book by Walter Dean Myers, accompanied by several letters and photographs, and written in fairly simple language, can be read by all ages. At Her Majesty’s Request makes a compelling read and offers us a personal glimpse into a remarkable woman’s life.