The Anti-Slavery Alphabet is a piece of literature written for children to explain the evils of slavery. It is important for the writer to convey the everyday experience of a slave, an experience that would move anyone into wanting to abolish the practice. I particularly appreciated the fact that the piece of literature was a poem. Because it was not a lengthy, wordy piece of text, I believe that it worked very well in explaining to children what slavery was and how it needed to be stopped. Furthermore, while its content was of a serious matter, the rhyme scheme made the poem fun to read, something that many children in our society today need present in a piece of literature in order to enjoy it.

What I found particularly interesting with the piece is the fact that the poet uses each letter of the alphabet to explain to readers what she’s trying to convey. Through this use, not only do children become aware of what slavery is, but also, learn the letters of the alphabet at the same time. While I’m not quite sure this was the poet’s intention, it can definitely be seen as a way to introduce the alphabet to beginning readers. She, as the saying goes, killed two birds with one stone.

I greatly enjoyed what each letter represented, but I greatly enjoyed what the “Y” stood for. It’s always been told to me that the youth of a particular time are the future of our country and all its endeavors. What is being mentioned with the “Y” is that the youth are an essential part of the war against slavery. They will be the ones who have the opportunity to change the evil practices that exist so that future generations do not have to experience them. As it was said in the poem, “And think not it can ever be too early to begin”, it surely is never too early for anyone to make a difference in the world.