Following the slave rebellions of the middle 19th century, new laws were passed, making it a crime for a slave learn to read and write. The repercussions were extremely harsh for any slave caught reading or writing. Any one suspected of tutoring a slave in this regard did so at great risk to themselves. However some individuals of extreme courage defied the taboo and taught individual slaves to read and write. Some slaves like Frederick Douglass taught himself. The young girl dipicted in this acrylic painting, personifies that era in our nations history.