The Novels of Frances Harper

The Novels of Frances Harper (2021) is a collection of four fiction works by Frances Ellen Watkins Harper, a pioneering figure in African American literature. These novels address themes such as miscegenation, passing, and the institutionalized rape of enslaved women. They include "Minnies Sacrifice" (1869), "Sowing and Reaping" (1876), "Trial and Triumph" (1888–1889), and "Iola Leroy, or Shadows Uplifted" (1892). Harper's novels inspired notable figures like Zora Neale Hurston and Ida B. Wells and are now reimagined for modern readers with a beautiful cover and professionally typeset manuscript.

Format: Hardback
Length: 450 pages
Publication date: 15 February 2022
Publisher: West Margin Press

Frances Ellen Watkins Harper, a trailblazing figure in African American literature, is the author of four works of fiction that are gathered in The Novels of Frances Harper (2021). The Christian Recorder serialized Minnies Sacrifice (1869), which explores issues such as miscegenation, passing, and the institutionalized rape of enslaved women by drawing inspiration from the story of Moses. Sowing and Reaping (1876) is a novel that delves into the cause of temperance in a period when alcoholism often tore Black families apart. Trial and Triumph (1888–1889) is a politically conscious novel that portrays an African American community striving to overcome adversity with love and solidarity. Iola Leroy, or Shadows Uplifted (1892), is a story of liberation set during the American Civil War that addresses themes such as abolition, miscegenation, and passing.

Minnies Sacrifice takes place on a plantation in the American South, where a slave named Miriam mourns the untimely death of her only daughter, Agnes, who passed away while giving birth to a baby boy. Later that day, Camilla, the master's daughter, discovers a blond-haired, blue-eyed boy in Miriam's cabin. Camilla suggests that the boy be sent away from the plantation to be raised as white.

Trial and Triumph is the story of a young orphan girl named Annette. Despite facing limited educational opportunities and facing prejudice and indifference from her community, Annette has a passion for reading. However, her community remains either cautiously protective of their children or too preoccupied with their own issues to pay attention to another struggling youth.

Sowing and Reaping is a tale of friendship and tragedy that explores the concerns of the temperance movement. Paul, whose father has passed away, faces challenges and struggles in his life. The novel delves into themes of friendship, family, and the pursuit of personal growth and redemption.

Frances Harper's novels offer a powerful exploration of the African American experience, tackling important social and historical issues of her time. Through her characters, Harper sheds light on the struggles and triumphs of the African American community, highlighting the resilience and determination of its members in the face of adversity.

Dimension: 203 x 127 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781513133478