Wake

The Hidden History of Women-Led Slave Revolts

By: Rebecca Hall, Tyler English-Beckwith - adapter

Narrated by: DeWanda Wise, Chanté Adams, Jerrie Johnson, Folake Olowofoyeku, Bahni Turpin, Rhian Rees, Karen Malina White, Román Zaragoza, Alex Ubokudom, John Stewart, Blake Cooper Griffin, Tim DeKay, Katherine McNamara, Matthew Wolf, full cast

Length: 1 hr and 41 mins

Publisher's summary

Audiobook of the Year, Nominee — 2023 Audie Awards

Selected as a best book of 2021 by NPR, The Washington Post, Forbes, and Ms. Magazine, Wake is an imaginative tour-de-force that tells the powerful story of women-led slave revolts, and chronicles scholar Rebecca Hall’s efforts to uncover the truth about these women warriors who, until now, have been left out of the historical record. Originally published as part graphic novel and part memoir, Wake has now been adapted into a dramatized audio original by critically acclaimed playwright and television writer Tyler English-Beckwith and features the voice talents of DeWanda Wise (Spike Lee’s She’s Gotta Have It, Jurassic World: Dominion, The Harder They Fall), Chanté Adams, (A League of Their Own, Roxanne Roxanne, A Journal for Jordan) and an all-star full cast.

Women warriors planned and led slave revolts on slave ships during the Middle Passage. They fought their enslavers throughout the Americas, and then they were erased from history. Wake tells the story of Dr. Rebecca Hall, a historian, granddaughter of slaves, and a woman haunted by the legacy of slavery. The accepted history of slave revolts has always said that enslaved women were not involved, but Rebecca decides to look deeper. Her journey takes her through old court records, slave ship captains' logs, crumbling correspondence, and even the forensic evidence from the bones of enslaved women from the “negro burying ground” uncovered in Manhattan. She finds women warriors everywhere.

The ‘story behind the story,’ this audio play delves into Dr. Hall’s stint as both a law school professor then a high school teacher: poignant classroom scenes give voice to young minds grappling with the complexities of history, living in the wake of the trauma of slavery, and awakening to a new appreciation for the power of resistance. Historical vignettes from the graphic novel are deftly interwoven and underpin the entire narrative, transporting the listener from past to present through music and sound thematics by Jace Clayton (a.k.a. DJ /rupture).

Full cast includes DeWanda Wise, Chanté Adams, Jerrie Johnson, Folake Olowofoyeku, Bahni Turpin, Rhian Rees, Karen Malina White, Román Zaragoza, Alex Ubokudom, John Stewart, Blake Cooper Griffin, Tim DeKay, Kate Steele, Matthew Wolf, André Sogliuzzo, and Katherine McNamara. Credits by Saundra McClain.

2022 PEN Open Book Award Finalist

2022 NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Literary Work - Debut Author Finalist

June 2021 reading selection for Steph Curry’s “Literati Book Club: Underrated"

©2021 Rebecca Hall and Hugo Martínez (P)2021 Podium Audio

Critic reviews

“Powerful…Wake is operating in the wake of slavery, and in a state of being awake to the past; a process Hall frames as both devastating and grounding." (The New York Times Book Review)

"With its remarkable blend of passion and fact, action and reflection, Wake sets a new standard for illustrating history.” (NPR)

“A must-read graphic history of women-led slave revolts…Hall and Martínez uncover hidden stories, vital truths and deep, unhealed, intergenerational pain.” (The Guardian)

“Not only a riveting tale of Black women’s leadership of slave revolts but an equally dramatic story of the engaged scholarship that enabled its discovery.” (Angela Y. Davis, political activist, scholar and author of Women, Race & Class)

Makes me want to explore .

I greatly admire Dr.Halls perseverance as well as that of her wife .This scratches the surface of many history lessons that my generation as well as those coming along now have been denied. Until truth of our many faults and false history lessons are rectified and told by scholars such as Dr.Hall I find little hope of the survival of our country or democracy.Thank you Dr.Hall and I will seek out more of your writings.

Great adaptation from a graphic novel to an audiobook

Great adaptation from a graphic novel to an audiobook. And the research that went into this project is outstanding

excellent

sorry for the way we still have to fight, it was hard to listen,

5 stars

Absolutely phenomenal. I cannot recommend it enough. the acting is superb and the story is incredible.

Love these performances

In addition I learned a lot.
Actors and production was really great! And they all work together, along with the actors to bring the point home.

A Necessary Listen

Whew!!! This was such a great story to listen to— huge shout out to the production value, cast, and soundscape, it was effortless to see this while listening. As for the story itself—is one that should be required reading— thank you so much Dr. Hall for bringing outside of the realm of academia.

Wish it were longer!

I've been here a while and can witness to the stark truth of this small but powerful contribution telling the story of America's Big Lie. Great narration!

Love it

An antidote. A poem. A truth telling. Hats off Dr. Hall. Teach our children well. .

Powerful food for thought

Liked following Rebecca Hall’s journey of discovering who she is and what she needed to do to get her message out.

Must listen

Well done, but empowering and educational most importantly. We need the untold stories, these voices need to be heard. Not just the women of the slave revolts, but Dr. Rebecca Hall’s story as well.