With twenty-four magnificent paintings and a profoundly moving text, Rod Brown and Julius Lester depict the course of slavery, beginning with the ships sailing from Africa on the notorious Middle Passage and continuing through the Civil War. Julius Lester brilliantly interprets Rod Brown's powerful paintings, giving weight to both the historical facts and the emotions of the people. Invoking the memories of ancestors whose names they do not know, Mr. Lester and Mr. Brown show the kidnappings, auctions, and whippings. Equally important, they reveal the inner life of the slaves expressed in their secret worship meetings, their heroic escapes, and their joy--tinged with apprehension--about freedom. From Slave Ship to Freedom Road is a work of major importance.