Molly Walsh was exiled from England and forced to be a servant in the American Colonies in 1683. After seven years as a farmer in Maryland, Molly was free to go. She found a piece of land and built her own cabin with the help of her neighbors. A women owning property at this time was very uncommon. Owning her own farm was challenging for Molly so she decided to buy a slave but treat him well, pay him for his work, and let him be free to leave whenever he chose. This man’s name was Bannaky. Molly became great friends with Bannaky and soon fell in love with him. Molly and Bannaky got married and had children of their own. Molly taught her children about their African and English culture and background.
After reading this book with my class, we would have a discussion about Molly’s family and their different backgrounds. Next, I would let the students think about their family’s history. The students would come up with questions to ask their parents and other relatives about their families past. After time to research, the students will write about their family background, culture, traditions, etc. The students can have specific facts about their families or more vague stories about relatives. They will be able to share their findings to the class and or small groups.
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