Fortune's Bones: The Manumission Requiem

A parent would reach for this book when their teenager is grappling with the dehumanizing nature of history or questioning how society treats the bodies and legacies of the marginalized. This hauntingly beautiful collection of poems restores a name and a soul to Fortune, an enslaved man whose skeleton was used as an anatomical teaching tool for over a century. Through Marilyn Nelson's lyrical prose, readers explore themes of justice, empathy, and the sacredness of human identity. It is a profound choice for mature middle and high schoolers who are ready to confront the systemic injustices of the past through a lens of restorative honor. By humanizing a man once reduced to bones, the book opens a vital space for discussing how we can heal historical wounds today.