Amos Fortune Free Man by Elizabeth Yates[Type the document title]
Summary of the plot: Amos Fortune, an African prince, is captured and taken to American to
become a slave. Amos learns a trade while in America and is able to free himself from slavery.
When Amos arrives in America he is sold to a man named Caleb Copeland. Amos is determined to earn
his freedom as soon as he begins work with the Copeland family. Caleb is being kind toward Amos and
they are Caleb comes to an agreement with Amos so that Amos can work toward his freedom, but when
Caleb dies the agreement is disregarded.
Later in the novel Amos is sold to Ichabod Richardson. Ichabod teaches Amos about tanning so that
Amos can become a skilled worker. Amos works for Ichabod for four years before he is able to buy his
freedom. After his first two wives dies, he marries Violet and moves to New Hampshire and buys a
tanning business. He lives successfully until the age of 80.
Character list:
Amos Fortune: Slave who becomes a free man
Copeland: First Master to Amos
Ichabod Richardson: Second master to Amos
Summary/Analysis of the Characters
When Amos first arrives in America, Caleb Copeland, a Quaker weaver, impulsively buys him at the
Boston slave market. Caleb and his wife Celia oppose slavery and several times offer Amos his freedom.
The Copeland children, especially Roxanna, help Amos overcome his shyness, and he becomes a part of
their family. When Caleb Copeland dies, financial considerations force his family to sell Amos to Ichabod
Richardson, a tanner. The Richardsons, too, treat Amos relatively well, and Ichabod Richardson
eventually promises him freedom in exchange for payments into a trust fund
Amos pays for his freedom and creates a life of his own in New England. He has his own tanning
business and is able to succeed and have a productive life with his third wife, Violet.
1
Lynn Demetrakis
Amos Fortune Free Man by Elizabeth Yates[Type the document title]
General Themes:
The dignity and strength of human spirit can overcome any adversity.
Important Symbols:
Author Information: ( 1905 - 2001) was a prolific American author. Best known for her 1951 Newbery
Medal winning novelAmos Fortune, Free Man. She also received the Newbery Honor in 1944
for Mountain Born. She began her writing career as a journalist, writing travel articles for publications
such as The Christian Science Monitor and The New York Times.
Key Facts:

Title: Amos Fortune, Free Man

Author: Elizabeth Yates

First Published:

Time of Work: 1700s to 1800s

Setting: Various

Characters: Amos Fortune, Lily, Lydia, Violet

Genres: Biography, Nonfiction

Subjects: Slavery, Historical, Biographical

Locales: Africa and the United States
Important quotes: It does a man no good to be free until he learns how to live.”
Websites: www.pinkmonkey.com , www.bestnotes.com
2
Lynn Demetrakis