EDITOR’S CHOICE
A powerful, heartfelt novel that captures the complexities of race, identity, and courage with authenticity, grace, and emotional depth.
Set against the backdrop of 1969 rural Louisiana, Freedom Lessons offers a poignant and deeply human narrative of integration, race, and resilience. Drawing from her personal experiences as a teacher during the civil rights era, Eileen Harrison Sanchez crafts a compelling story through the alternating voices of Colleen, an optimistic white newcomer; Evelyn, a seasoned Black teacher; and Frank, a high school football player shouldering the weight of his family’s grief and survival.
What makes this novel resonate is its authenticity. The integration of schools is not just a historical event—it becomes a lived, messy, and emotional reality for each character. Colleen’s journey is especially affecting as her initial naivety gives way to deeper understanding and difficult moral choices. Evelyn’s perspective is equally powerful, challenging assumptions and revealing the complexities behind seemingly simple acts of resistance. Frank’s story adds a youthful, raw layer of truth, showing the psychological toll systemic injustice can take.
Sanchez avoids caricature and instead offers nuance and heart. Her prose is simple yet evocative, perfectly suited to a story where small choices carry enormous weight. While the novel is steeped in a specific time and place, its questions—about justice, belonging, and what it means to do the right thing—are strikingly relevant today.
Freedom Lessons is a moving, thought-provoking novel that sheds light on an often overlooked moment in American history, reminding readers of the personal cost of change and the courage it demands.
