Description

Malcolm Williams hasnt been okay for a while Hes angry and despondent and feels like nothing good ever happens for teens like him in DC All he wants is to be left alone in his room for the summer to draw or play video gamesbut no such luck With growing violence in his neighborhood his mother ships him off to his fathers family farm in Mississippi and Malcolm is anything but pleased A few days after his arrival his greataunt tells him that the State is acquiring the farm to widen a highway Its not news Malcolm is concerned about but someone plans to make it his concern One minute Malcolm is drawing in the farmhouse attic and the next hes looking through the eyes of his ancestor Cedric Johnson in 1866As Cedric Malcolm meets the reallife Black statesmen who fought for change during the Reconstruction era Hiram Revels Robert Smalls and other leaders who made American history But even after witnessing their bravery Malcolms faith in his own future remains shaky particularly since he knows that the gains these statesmen made were almost immediately stripped away If those great men couldnt completely succeed why should he tryMalcolm must decide which path to take Can Cedrics experiences help him construct a better future Or will he resign himself to resentments and defeat Perfect for fans of Jason Reynolds and Nic Stone Black Was the Ink is a powerful comingofage story and an eyeopening exploration of an era that defined modern America