Turtles on a Black Gum Tree
About
Charles Ball was born into slavery in Calvert County, Maryland and served there under several masters until, at twenty-six, he was sold and taken to South Carolina as part of a fifty-person coffle. After nearly seven years of grueling and often intolerable treatment in South Carolina and Georgia, he fled Georgia and returned to Maryland. This creative retelling of of Ball's 1837 autobiography recounts his upbringing in Maryland, his forced march to the deep South, and his escape and journey back home. Although he died in obscurity, Charles Ball left us with one of the most comprehensive and uncompromising portraits of slavery in the post-colonial era.
Praise for this book
Exceptional portrayal of the harsh realities of slave life. The author's eloquent prose vividly captures the brutality, deprivation of rights, and dehumanization. Emotionally
charged, impeccably written, and flawlessly edited.
A searing and exquisitely rendered retelling of Charles Ball’s harrowing journey through slavery, Turtles on a Black Gum Tree blends historical fidelity with lyrical precision. With unflinching honesty and haunting grace, it illuminates the brutality of bondage while honoring the resilience of the human spirit. This is not just a story of survival—it’s a masterfully told reckoning with America's past, delivered with rare clarity and power.