Lincoln and Douglass: An American Friendship

Written by Nikki Giovanni

Narrated by Danny Glover

In celebration of Abraham Lincoln’s 200th birthday in February 2009, we present this story of the unusual friendship between two great American leaders. At a time when racial tensions were high and racial equality was not yet established, Lincoln and Douglass formed a strong bond over shared ideals.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Weston Woods
• Release date: Jan 1, 2009
• ISBN: 9780545467445

Nikki Giovanni

Nikki Giovanni is a Grammy-nominated American poet, activist, and author who has written many books of poetry for children and adults. She is the author of Ego-tripping and Other Poems for Young People, I Am Loved, and Rosa, a Caldecott Honor book. She has received some twenty-five honorary degrees, was the first recipient of the Rosa L. Parks Woman of Courage Award, and has been awarded the Langston Hughes Medal for poetry. She lives in Blacksburg, Virginia, where she is a University Distinguished Professor of poetry at Virginia Tech. Instagram: giovanni.nikki nikki-giovanni.com

Reviews for Lincoln and Douglass

[rupsarkar · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

1865 marked the start of Abraham Lincoln's second term as President. Racial tensions were high and equality was limited. Lincoln and Frederick Douglass shared many ideas and both resented slavery. Douglass was a slave and ran away from his "owners", trying to avoid being beaten. He was taken in by Quakers. Lincoln and Douglass both were avid learners and worked hard to better themselves. It was not until the journey down to New Orleans that Lincoln realized the brutal nature of slavery and segregation. Both men hated slavery. The focus of this picture book is the meeting between both men at the inaugural ball. Due to a misunderstanding, Douglass was asked to enter through the back door. Both men agreed that the country was going through tough times but their powerful friendship could improve the state of the country. It was not until after Lincoln was assassinated that the Thirteenth Amendment was ratified, signaling the end of slavery. Friendship is a powerful teaching idea emphasized in this book. The theme of friendship shows that our individual differences should be appreciated. With the onset of the Civil War, the United States had a major ideological rift. This book is written in a poetic style and is appropriate for students in grades one to three. The book has colorful illustrations and allows students to have tactile experiences while reading. The interactive nature of this book makes learning enjoyable and memorable.

[areamatha · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I could see using this book for elementary or middle school students. I would use this book as a lead in for a lesson on slavery. It’s a story about Abraham Lincoln and Fredric Douglass at Lincoln’s second inaugural reception. As well as a back story as to why each of them, coming from exceedingly different backgrounds and with different experiences with slavery, were opposed to slavery. The illustrations are very well done. The story is well organized. The only real fault I found with it was an unbalanced portrayal of John Brown. If I were to use this book I would supplement it with a lecture on the merits and faults of John Brown to give a more balanced historical view.

[arodri13-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This historical nonfiction picture book is a fun and easy read that compares the similarities and differences between two prominent American history figures. The underlying meaning of this book is that friendship comes in all colors and that what is right is not always popular. This story is enjoyable due to the brilliant illustrations.

[ecosborne · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This book explains the friendship between Lincoln and Douglass and the similarities between the both though they came from very different backgrounds. This would be a great book to use in history as a way to explain part of the civil war.