"The Glory Field," by Walter Dean Myers, is a well-written and heartbreaking story about an African family who is forced to live as slaves in America. The novel begins when the family, living in Africa, is captured and shipped to America, and through the course of the book, the reader journey's along with the family from freedom, to slavery, and to freedom once more. ".
In July, 1753, the family was captured in Sierra Leone and brought to the United States on a slave ship. The father, Bilal, was enraged that his family was trapped aboard this vessel taking them to the unknown, and "He fought against death from breath to breath." Bilal was fed once a day and given water twice a day, and the living conditions were torturous - they were chained to the floor, sore, bruised and unable to fight their way out of their shackles. .
In March, 1864, on the live Oaks Plantation in Curry Island, South Carolina, Lem, and Joshua Lewis ran away. Lem got caught, and was tied to a tree for the night. Lizzy went to give him some water but Mister Joe Haynes saw her and started whipping her. They told him that they would tie him to the tree rather than kill him. .
In 1900; the Lewis Family is mainly based on Elijah and Abby Lewis. The boys fought for freedom by negotiating with Hamlin Turner the reward money for whomever finds his blind son David Turner. Hamlin Turner had lowered the reward money for Elijah and Abby. Elijah and Abby tell him that they will not find his son unless they get the same reward as everyone else. .
In May 1930 Luvenia Lewis suffered the lack for equality when she lost her job. Even though she had nothing to do with the lie that Florenz and Katie told so that they could use the car. Florenz and Katie said that Luvenia was getting cramps and had "female trouble " implying that she was pregnant. Mr. Deets then sent her a letter stating that her services will no longer be required. .
In January 1964 Tommy Lewis suffered from the lack of equality because he wanted to go to college so bad, but he would be the first African American to attend that college.