The Black Regiment of the American Revolution

Children's Bookwatch, Dec, 2004

The Black Regiment Of The American Revolution

Linda Crotta Brennan & Cheryl Kirk Noll

Moon Mountain Publishing

80 Peachtree Road, North Kingstown, RI 02852

1931659060 $16.95 www.moonmountainpub.com

A bit of history regarding the American Revolution is relatively unknown and rarely taught in school. In order to fill out its military forces, the fledgling state of Rhode Island recruited into the ranks of the American forces hundreds of black and Native American slaves who worked on plantations in the state, promising them their freedom at the end of the war. Several black freemen also responded to the call, making up the first predominantly African-American fighting force in U.S. history. Within weeks of its creation, the Black Regiment was thrust into the Battle of Rhode Island--the only major land battle against the British and their Hessian mercenaries in New England during the American Revolution. The Black Regiment Of The American Revolution was scrupulously researched by author and library program coordinator Linda Crotta Brennan, and superbly illustrated by Cheryl Kirk Noll for young readers ages 7 to 11 and grades 2 to 6. No elementary school or community library should be without at least one copy of The Black Regiment Of The American Revolution for the American History and Black Studies collections.