Mixed-Race Identity in the American South: Roots, Memory, and Family Secrets

Discourses about mixed-race heritage in the US have evolved into a literary genre called "memoir of the search," exploring intergenerational family secrets through archival investigation, DNA-testing, photographs, family trees, and trips to the American South. These texts negotiate the memory of slavery and segregation in the present, contributing to the discussion over political justice and reparations for slavery.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 236 pages
Publication date: 15 March 2023
Publisher: Lexington Books

This comprehensive study posits that since the 1990s, discourses surrounding mixed-race heritage in the United States have evolved into a distinct literary genre, aptly referred to as "memoir of the search." To explore this non-fictional realm, the study employs a diverse range of four texts, including Edward Ball's Slaves in the Family and Shirlee Taylor Haizlip's The Sweeter the Juice. These narratives feature a protagonist who employs various methods, such as archival investigation, DNA testing, and a journey to the American South, to uncover an intergenerational family secret. These texts also incorporate photographs, family trees, and a deep exploration of the region's history, recognizing it as the birthplace of the secrets and the tapestry of the family's past. As a genre, these narratives engage in a delicate negotiation of slavery and segregation in the present, challenging prevailing narratives of Americanness and contributing to the broader discourse on political justice and reparations for slavery.

In its approach, this book underscores the significance of the memoirs' negotiations of the past in the face of the absence of living witnesses. Furthermore, it makes valuable contributions to the ongoing discussions surrounding political justice and reparations for slavery.

Dimension: 229 x 152 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781793627087