Tonya Duncan Ellis–What Was on Her. . .

Tonya Duncan Ellis

Happy Tuesday Everyone! I’m absolutely delighted that you stopped by because Tonya Duncan Ellis is with us today to talk about her debut picture book, They Built Me for Freedom: The Story of Juneteenth and Houston’s Emancipation Park!

Tonya brilliantly wrote the story from the park’s point of view. As They Built Me for Freedom travels through history, we learn the many gifts that Emancipation Park has brought to Houston. “They built me to show they were strong.” “They built me to celebrate.” “They built me to play.” And, of course, “They built me for freedom.”

This lyrical and celebratory story–which comes out on May 14–is illustrated by Jenin Mohammed and has resonated so deeply with readers that it has garnered a starred review from Publishers Weekly. PW calls They Built Me for Freedom “a moving tribute to Houston’s Emancipation Park,” and Kirkus Reviews adds that it is “a beautifully layered story just as rich as the history it represents.”

A moving picture book about the history of Emancipation Park in Houston, Texas—and the origins of Juneteenth.

When people visit me, they are free—to run, play, gather, and rejoice.

They built me to remember.

On June 19, 1865, the 250,000 enslaved people of Texas learned they were free, ending slavery in the United States. This day was soon to be memorialized with the dedication of a park in Houston. The park was called Emancipation Park, and the day it honored would come to be known as Juneteenth.

In the voice and memory of the park itself—its fields and pools, its protests and cookouts, and, most of all, its people—the 150-year story of Emancipation Park is brought to life. Through lyrical text and vibrant artwork, Tonya Duncan Ellis and Jenin Mohammed have crafted an ode to the struggle, triumph, courage, and joy of Black America—and the promise of a people to remember.

The accolades from Publishers Weekly and Kirkus are not the first to come Tonya’s way. She began her writer’s journey in primary school, and by fifth grade she had already won a young author’s competition. Tonya went on to become a journalist and self-publish the thirteen-book Sophie Washington series. If all of that hasn’t kept her busy enough, Tonya also spends much of her time visiting schools, amplifying Black voices, and mentoring up-and-coming writers. Wow! What a busy and fulfilling life!

So, let me turn things over to Tonya so you can hear directly from her. She’s joining us from Houston—yes, the home of Emancipation Park!—to tell us What Was on Tonya Duncan Ellis’s…

Monument to early Houston leader Richard Allen in Emancipation Park

Desk as she wrote They Built Me for Freedom: I tour museums and historical spots for creative inspiration, and one day in the spring of 2021, before Juneteenth was a federal holiday, I took a break from writing at my desk to visit Emancipation Park. For years I had driven by the park on the way to my church, which is located in Houston’s Third Ward, not far from it, but I’d never actually been inside the park. Strolling through the fields I thought about how my ancestors celebrated their newfound freedom on this ground and how Emancipation Park was an important part of American history. I felt like this was a story that should be told.

Mind the first time she saw Jenin Mohammed’s Illustrations: When I first saw sketches of Jenin Mohammad’s illustrations, I was blown away by how beautifully she translated my words into timeless images. My favorite illustrations were ones where she takes us back in time with representations of the ancestors in the clouds.

List of Biggest challenges in writing a picture book vs the Sophie Washington series: With They Built Me for Freedom I wrote lyrically, whereas with the Sophie Washington series I wrote in prose. As I moved from writing 100-200 page chapter books and novels to picture books, which are from 500-1,000 words I joined the 12×12 picture book challenge and read tons of picture books. I love poetry, and I enjoy the challenge of choosing the perfect word to convey a meaning and evoke emotion with picture book writing.

Mentoring notes for new writers: I recommend that new writers read widely in their genre to understand what is popular and to get into community with other writers for critiques of their work and to have emotional support and understanding as they navigate the many ups and downs of the publishing world. Doing both these things has been invaluable to me.

Mind as the release of They Built Me for Freedom is only four weeks away: I’m anxious and excited as I await the release of my debut picture book. There is still so much to be done when it comes to marketing and promotion. I’m very happy that I’ll finally be able to share this work with the world.

I’m very happy about that too! Congratulations, Tonya!

To keep up to date with Tonya Duncan Ellis, check out her website at tonyaduncanellis.com, X at @TonyaDEllis, Instagram at @tonyaellisbooks, and Facebook at @tonyaellisbooks.

They Built Me for Freedom will release on May 14, but it is already available for pre-order. If you would like to place an order, click on the book below.