CHILDREN IN THE WAKE: The Collateral Consequences of Modern Slavery on Childhood

In a rehabilitation shelter in Ghana, two children are recovering from enslavement to fishermen. But their story takes an unexpected turn when their rescuer embarks on another mission and asks the children for help. Charting the unfolding drama, The Rescue List tells a moving story of friendship and courage—transcending tropes of victimhood and illustrating what it means to love and survive.

This lesson offers an opportunity for students to critically consider the human rights implications of chattel slavery and of modern slavery by juxtaposing the experiences of the protagonists in The Rescue List with experiences of Frederick Douglass as shared in his Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass. Through a guided analysis of the childrens’ experiences with slavery and abolition in present-day Ghana and Douglass’s 18th century experiences of slavery and abolition, students will be asked to think critically about the lasting legacy and persistence of slavery in order to imagine actionable alternatives.

In this lesson, students conduct a Socratic seminar in preparation for creating a plan of action to bring attention to the plight of children, families, communities, and nations directly impacted by the legacy of slavery, both now and then. Tens of millions of people around the world, including children, are forced to work as slaves. What can be done to help them?

Vivett Dukes, M.A., is a state certified English language arts teacher, a teacher of English to new learners and a literacy specialist. She is a public speaker and advocate who writes a weekly education blog post for www.newyorkschooltalk.org and publishes the writings of men, women and children impacted by the collateral consequences of mass incarceration on her personal blog, www.speakyatruth.org.