The Tears That Fell From Chains

The Tears That Fell From Chains is an anthology of literary pieces inspired by the book Day of Tears by Julius Lester. These pieces were written by all the students in Jessica Barnum's 2023-2024 8th Gr. English/Language Arts Class after we read this book. The assignment was this: "We are going to pay tribute to all the people who have endured slavery in any form on the planet past, present, and future. You are going to self-design a writing assignment that SHOWS what Day of Tears is teaching YOU about what it means to be human. Everyone is interpreting Day of Tears differently. Perspectives, opinions, reactions, and curiosity is stirring. And that is a good thing! You will write, you will share, and we will learn from each other. You will also grade yourself. Many assignments given in school TELL you what to learn and how to know the information. For THIS assignment, you have the freedom to create at will. That is the point. FREEDOM!!!!! Show what you know in YOUR way with EXCELLENCE!" The pieces vary in multiple writing styles and perspectives, all revolving around slavery and the people who were victims in its grasp. We hope to inspire those who suffered from slavery. We hope to inspire others about this topic so that now, as well as in the future, we raise awareness about this challenging time in history so that we can improve in the future.