New Children's Book Highlights Legacy of Teacher Mary Peake and Historic Oak Tree
A new children's book titled 'Freedom to Read: The Story of Teacher Mary Peake and One Mighty Oak Tree' by Lesa Cline-Ransome, with illustrations by James E. Ransome, explores the life of Mary Peake, a pioneering educator in Virginia. The book intertwines the growth of an oak tree with Peake's journey as an educator who defied laws prohibiting the education of African Americans. Set against the backdrop of Hampton, Virginia, the narrative highlights Peake's role in teaching under an oak tree at Fort Monroe, a refuge for those escaping enslavement. This tree later became a site for the reading of the Emancipation Proclamation and is now part of Hampton University. 
