"But I'm Only 7": What Happened When I Took My Son to a Plantation for the First Time
- Malika J. Stevely
- 1 day ago
- 1 min read
Date: August 16, 2026
Title: "But I'm Only 7"
Description: What Happened When I Took My Son to a Plantation for the First Time
“But I’m only 7.”
Those five words captured a moment I wasn’t expecting.
As a historical fiction author, I’ve spent years researching the past and writing stories inspired by the lives of African Americans who endured, survived, loved, and built lives in a world shaped by slavery. But taking my 7-year-old son to a plantation for the first time granted me a Black child's 21st-century perspective on the history I study so closely.
What began as a family visit became an unexpected lesson in how children process history—and a reminder that sometimes their simplest observations can leave us with the biggest questions.
Here’s what happened when history became real for my son.
Comments