Amos Fortune: Free Man is based on the true story of a man who was bom in Africa, captured by slavers when he was fifteen, sold as a slave in America, and freed when he was fifty-nine. Amos Fortune's life illustrates the triumph of a patient and peaceful man who deeply values freedom, responsibility, and the respect each human being owes to others. Amos's love for the earth, whether in Africa or in New England, is inspiring. Although the captured Atmun-shi fail to respond to him, Amos's attempts to lead and preserve his people win readers' admiration, as do his humility, his generosity, and his craftsmanship. Perhaps the most touching element of Amos's life is his resolute search for his crippled sister Ath-mun, whom the slavers leave behind. Once he realizes that he will never find her, Amos endeavors to help other women to live in freedom, and his struggles emphasize the value of individual freedom and selfrespect.