"As slaves relentlessly toiled in an unjust system in 19th century Louisiana, they all counted down the days until Sunday, when at least for half a day they were briefly able to congregate in Congo Square in New Orleans. Here they were free to set up an open market, sing, dance, and play music. They were free to forget their cares, their struggles, and their oppression. This story chronicles slaves' duties each day, from chopping logs on Mondays to baking bread on Wednesdays to plucking hens on Saturday, and builds to the freedom of Sundays and the special experience of an afternoon spent in Congo Square."--Provided by publisher. Un préambule survole le mode de vie des esclaves qui se réunissaient à Congo Square, à la Nouvelle-Orléans, tandis qu'une ligne du temps en fin d'ouvrage fournit des repères historiques sur l'apparition et l'abolition de l'esclavage aux États-Unis. Le texte, à la fois simple et rimé, est illustré de peintures naïves à l'intérieur desquelles les figures noires élancées contrastent avec le ciel, qui adopte des teintes jaunes et orangées. [SDM].
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