Freedom's Eve: A Story of Watch Night

A luminous picture book that celebrates a little-known American legacy, familial love, tradition, and the cherished ancestors who paved the way.

Tonight is a big night. It’s Watch Night!

This year, Eve-Lynn gets to lead the celebration, just like her ancestor Lil’ Eve did on December 31, 1862―one of the nights enslaved people gathered in places like Galveston, Texas, anticipating the reading of the Emancipation Proclamation. That was the night they called their Freedom’s Eve.

While Eve-Lynn is excited, worry wraps ’round her. She holds her family quilt close to calm her nerves, but in a moment of jittery anticipation, she rips the beloved fabric made by her ancestor. With the help of her Gramsy, Eve-Lynn stitches the quilt back together, leaving a piece of herself within its patchwork―making for a Watch Night she’ll never forget.