By Phil Snelling
“Remarkable” is the most apt description for Amina Luqman-Dawson and her achievement in winning both the John Newbery Medal and the Coretta Scott King Award for her debut novel, Freewater. Her book—aimed at young readers but instructive for all—is a work of historical fiction depicting the saga of two enslaved siblings, Ada and Horner, who flee a plantation to discover the secret community of Freewater.
The book sprang from an idea Ms. Dawson had years ago but set aside for a decade while she worked as a freelance writer and started a family. After having a child, she returned to the concept, hoping to create something of historical value for her own child and others. In 2012, she began researching actual communities of formerly enslaved people who escaped and lived in secret groups called Maroons.
Maroon communities existed in Jamaica starting in the 1600s and developed in the English colonies and the early United States until the Civil War. In the U.S., these communities were found in Florida, Louisiana, and the Great Dismal Swamp on the Virginia-North Carolina border—the setting for Freewater. In her research, Ms. Dawson consulted historians and delved into written archives to illuminate these little-known communities. The Great Dismal Swamp also served as a vital station on the Underground Railroad for those seeking freedom.
The reception of her book, including the prestigious awards and a spot on the New York Times bestseller list, has significantly changed Ms. Dawson’s life. She now maintains a busy schedule of speaking engagements across the country. Meeting children at these events has been a particularly rewarding gift. Ms. Dawson wrote Freewater at her Fairlington home and is currently working on her next book. She noted that her work was aided by “We Need Diverse Books,” a mentorship program that helps authors from diverse backgrounds publish their first works. Fairlington is fortunate to have such a distinguished author among its residents. We wish her continued success on her next project.
You can learn more about Ms. Luqman-Dawson, and buy Freewater, on her website: https://www.aminaluqman-dawson.com/