Amos Fortune, Free Man

On a dark, starlit night in equatorial Africa, the At-mun-shi people gather for a spring planting ritual. An old man starts beating on a wooden drum, and soon smaller drums and flutes join the music from all corners of the village. As the moon rises above the dense jungle foliage, the sound of the drums calls the villagers into the clearing where their chief sits on a platform with his two children, At-mun (Amos) the prince, and Ath-mun the princess.

At-mun (Amos) is a well-built 15-year-old boy. His 12-year-old sister, Ath-mun was born with a deformed leg, but their father refused to sacrifice his “imperfect” daughter to the God of Life as their custom demands. He sacrificed his favorite dog instead.

As the At-mun-shi gather, they lay down their weapons and begin to dance. The people pray to the earth, sun, moon, and rain to cooperate in their planting and harvest so that they will have the food they need. At-mun (Amos) picks up Ath-mun and dances before his people with his sister in his arms. Everyone knows he will be a good chief when his time comes; they respect not only his authority but his kind and gentle spirit.

While the At-mun-shi dance through the night, a company of 100 Black men, led by three white men creeps through the jungle and surrounds the village, well inside the line where the At-mun-shi have laid down their weapons. At a signal from their leader, they shoot their loaded muskets—99 into the air, frightening the At-mun-shi—and one through the heart of the chief. At-mun (Amos) crosses the clearing in just a few leaps. When he realizes the strangers have killed his father, he stands and faces his people, assuming the role of their new chief. But before his people can acknowledge him, their attackers burst into the clearing, scattering them like leaves in the wind. They seize the strongest and tallest people, but they hesitate when they reach At-mun, sensing his obvious strength and dignity. It takes two to tie the prince’s wrists.

When dawn arrives, all the able-bodied At-mun-shi men and some of the women stand chained together in a long line. The rest of the people cower together, stunned and terrified. As their captors crack their whips and begin to lead the captives out of the clearing, those left behind—the old, the young, and the infirm—begin to wail.

Among the captives, only At-mun (Amos) still carries his head high. When he passes by the huddled form of his sister, Ath-mun, he stoops and speaks briefly to her, reminding her that they are the chief’s children and are obligated to serve their people. One of the white men cracks a whip against the prince’s back; despite the pain, At-mun makes no sound. And as the captives disappear into the distance, Ath-mun struggles to her feet and holds out her hands to the survivors, assuming the role and responsibility of chief.