Slave Day By Rob Thomas

At Robert E. Lee High School an old tradition known as Slave Day will be the cause of much hysteria in the small town of Deerfield, Texas. Slave Day is a tradition based on the slave trade, a dark part of America’s past. It is a day when the student council and several faculty members auction themselves in order to raise money for the homecoming dance. Many fail to see how offensive a day like this would be for African Americans. However, Keene Davenport, a student at Rober E. Lee, becomes outraged at the idea of a slave auction. He devises several operations in order to show how insulting the custom is. Throughout the day new friendships are made, relationships are broken, and a terrible experience leaves one girl traumatized.

Slave Day

Slave Day

Slave Day is set in modern times and takes place in Robert E. Lee High School in Deerfield, Texas. Deerfield seems to be a fictional location however it is indicated that the city is located somewhere in the vacinity of Austin, the capital of Texas. For more information on Austin, Texas see the first link to the right.

Rob Thomas was born on August 15, 1965, in Sunnyside, Washington. Earlier in his life, he wished to become a writer for a magazine like Rolling Stones Magazine or Sports Illustrated. Rob went to the University of Texas when he recieved a scholarship to be a university student magazine editor. The first book he wrote was Rats Saw God and several years later he wrote Slave Day. For more information on Rob Thomas click the link to the right.

Slave Auction

Modled after the slave auction pictured above, Robert E. Lee High School held a slave auction.

Slaves

Buyers

Cost

Shawn Greeley

Keene Davenport

$30

Annabella Guzaldo

Timm Trimble

$43

Jenny Robinson

Clint DeFriesz

$20

Brendan Young

Tiffany Delvoe

$100

Mr. Twilley

Tommy Parks

$1.14

Slave Day was written in 1997. During this year President Bill Clinton was elected for his second term. The British House of Commons voted for a total ban on handguns. 1997 was declared International Year of the Reef by the United Nations. For more information on events that happened in 1997, click the third link below.

Austin, Texas

Rob Thomas

1997

Slave Day (a brief summary)

Slave Auctions