Through the help of a ghostly ancestor, sixteen-year-old Malcolm is sent on a journey through Reconstruction-era America to find his place in modern-day Black progress. Forgotten heroes still leave their mark. Malcolm Williams hasn't been okay for a while. He's angry and despondent after losing a friend to growing violence in his neighborhood, and nothing good seems to happen for Black teens like himself. To make matters worse, he must spend the summer at his father's family farm in Mississippi. A few days after his arrival, his great-aunt tells him that the State is acquiring the farm to widen a highway. It's not news Malcolm is concerned about, but someone plans to make it his concern. One minute Malcolm is in the farmhouse attic, and the next he's looking through the eyes of his ancestor Cedric Johnson in 1866. As Cedric, Malcolm meets the real-life Black statesmen who fought for change during the Reconstruction era: Hiram Revels, Robert Smalls, and other leaders and legislators who made American history. But even after witnessing their bravery, Malcolm's faith in his own future remains shaky, particularly since he knows that the gains these statesmen made were almost immediately stripped away. If those great men couldn't completely succeed, why should he try? But Cedric isn't through with Malcolm yet, and other teachers surround him, even if he doesn't know it. Will Malcolm find the courage to save the farm and take an active role in Black progress? Or will he resign himself to resentments and defeat? Perfect for fans of Jason Reynolds and Nic Stone, and illustrated throughout by an up-and-coming artist, Justin Johnson, Black Was the Ink pairs a powerful coming-of-age story with real history to reveal that forgotten heroes still leave their mark.