Congratulations to Cat Michaels who won Leonardo the Florentine from last week's blog. ******* I purchased NOTE OF A WHITE BLACK WOMAN several years ago and recently found it while unpacking. I'm glad I did! Judy Scales-Trent provides amazing insights into racial identity as she reveals her thoughts and emotions as a "white black woman." As I often do… Continue reading Multi-Racial Read #19: Notes of a White Black Woman by Judy Scales-Trent- Part I
Congratulations to Sheri Levy who won Dorothy Price's picture book, "Nana's Favorite Things." In November I reviewed Mississippi Trial, 1955 and analyzed a scene using questions that Rebecca Petruck posed to me. In this post I'm sharing an excerpt from another award winning book about the Jim Crow period, Guardian by Julius Lester. This time I'm analyzing… Continue reading Guardian: A Book Review and a Writing Exercise
Congratulations to Linda Phillips who won Kathy Erskine's book Seeing Red. ******** It's been awhile since I've reviewed a multi-racial book and Just an Overnight Guest by Eleanora Tate fits the bill--but from a different perspective than the other books I've reviewed as background for writing Half-Truths. The only thing wrong with nine-year-old Margie Carson's life in the… Continue reading Multi-Racial Read #19: Just an Overnight Guest- And a Giveaway!
In my last blog I reviewed Sundee Frazier's contemporary novel, The Other Half of My Heart. Now Sundee shares the story behind the story, and a chance to win a personally autographed copy. Carol: I'm curious as to why you chose to write your book from Minni's point of view. Sundee. I know this point of… Continue reading The Other Half of My Heart: An Interview and a Giveaway!
Minni's heart soared as the small plane's wheels lifted from the ground. She loved being up in the clouds with Keira, Mama and Daddy, the never-ending blue-gray ocean, and the rugged mountain peaks. Gliding, like a bird on the wind. Keira sank her nails into Minni's arm. It hurt, but Minni didn't pull away. It wasn't… Continue reading Multi-Racial Read #18: The Other Half of My Heart
In the last blog of this series, Essie Mae Washington reveals what happened when she finally divulged her secrets. In the late 60's Thurmond surprised Essie Mae by calling to say he was coming to Los Angeles and wanted to see her children. She was thrilled, but first had to break the news that their… Continue reading Multi-Racial Read #17: Dear Senator- Part VIII
In 1953 Essie Mae Washington-Williams moved to California to start a new life with her husband and son. She flew home regularly to receive cash gifts from her father that were delivered by a relative; she also kept close tabs on her father's political activity. In 1956 nineteen southern senators declared war on the Brown vs.… Continue reading Multi-Racial Read #16: Dear Senator Part VII
In the previous posts in this series, I shared excerpts from Dear Senator: A Memoir of the Daughter of Strom Thurmond that covered Essie Mae's early years. This post includes some of her struggles with her racial identity. During her nursing training at Harlem Hospital Essie Mae attended Reverend Adam Clayton Powell, Jr.'s church, the Abyssinian… Continue reading Multi-Racial Read #12: Dear Senator- Part III
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When I packed DearSenator: A Memoir by the Daughter of Strom Thurmond in my backpack for a recent trip from Charlotte to Los Angeles, I had no idea that my journey west would replicate one that Essie Mae Washington-Williams took sixty years ago. But the replication process, although interesting and similar, was one of geography… Continue reading Multi-Racial Read #10: Dear Senator Part I