Midnight Teacher: Lilly Ann Granderson and Her Secret School

This picture book for mid- to upper-elementary tells the story of Lilly Ann Granderson, an enslaved woman who taught hundreds of people in Kentucky and Mississippi to read. Her schools were held in secrecy and under threat of severe punishment. Readers learn not only about this little-known educator, but also of the profound commitment to education that prevailed among people held in bondage. Her students took what they learned and passed it on to others. The book ends with Emancipation and Granderson continuing to teach — publicly now — during Reconstruction.

ISBN: 9781620141632 | Lee & Low Books