About This Book
A parent would reach for this book when their teenager is asking complex questions about American history, racial justice, or the personal reality behind textbook dates. It is a powerful tool for bridging the generational gap and helping young people see the elders in their community as keepers of vital wisdom. The book presents a series of oral histories from Black elders who lived through the Jim Crow era, offering a direct line to the past. While it touches on the heavy realities of segregation and systemic oppression, it centers on the resilience, joy, and everyday humanity of the individuals interviewed. It is a profoundly hopeful collection that emphasizes that history is alive and personal. It is best suited for middle and high schoolers ready to engage with authentic, unvarnished accounts of the 20th-century South.
