In the pre-Civil War South, 12-year-old slave girl Sarny faces a bleak existence on Clel Waller's plantation. Her life changes when Nightjohn, a former runaway slave with scars on his back, arrives and teaches her to read and write in secret, emphasizing that "words are freedom." As Sarny learns, she begins to practice reading by lantern-light and helps Nightjohn forge a pass for a young slave named Outlaw to escape to freedom. After Nightjohn is brutally punished for his literacy, Sarny writes a pass for Egypt, a slave on another plantation, to join Outlaw on his flight to freedom.
Nightjohn
In the treacherous Antebellum South, a courageous young slave named Sarny finds solace and determination through her bond with Nightjohn, who teaches her the precious gift of literacy. Together, they navigate a perilous path to liberate other slaves, but their daring plan is put to the test when ...
