Faith Ringgold is recognized by many as an accomplished artist whose audience is primarily adults. Children, however, recognize her as the author and illustrator of some books which they have read, books memorable for both their stories and the intriguing illustration which accompany them. Her "story quilts" which combine painting, quilted fabric, and story telling have brought her international fame. She is also known for her fight to eliminate discrimination against women artists. She led others in putting pressure on museums to include women artists, especially African Americans, in their collections, and through these efforts she was able to help all women artists, a fact which bolsters our basic theme of African American dissent.
Her story which will be used in this unit is called Aunt Harriet's Underground Railroad in the Sky. Here we meet an eight year old girl named Cassie. Cassie has a younger brother named Be Be and possesses a very vivid imagination...or is it just imagination? Together with her brother, Cassie is able to fly. While gliding amongst the stars, they encounter a dilapidated old train which Be Be boards along with hundreds of other silent people. It is going North and the conductor is Harriet Tubman. While the train moves ahead, Aunt Harriet directs Cassie along the route taken by African Americans during the time of slavery. Cassie's experiences bring her a vivid understanding of the horrors those individuals has to endure, as well as showing her the kind and gentle ways in which others made their passage possible. Cassie and Be Be are reunited at the end, both having gained a new understanding of their great-great grandparents' survival. Obviously, this is the same message I hope to convey to my class. The brilliantly colored illustrations which accompany the text will be discussed in detail. Students will speculate regarding the possible fears and hopes of the people making the journey, as well as what the student's thoughts might have been had they been there. "How would you have felt? Would you have gone without your family? What would have frightened you most? Compare the white people who helped the escaping slaves with those who held them in slavery."
Ringgold's illustrations will be compared with those of Ron Brown and Jacob Lawrence with an eye toward the strength and importance of each.