Remembered by Yvonne Battle-Felton

Remembered

Yvonne Battle-Felton

As Edward lies dying, accused of murder, his aunt pieces together the story of his life and the shocking truth about slavery and its aftermath. Thousands of slaves don't even hear about their emancipation and the bosses aren't about to tell them. Those who are freed have nowhere to go and no idea of what the future may hold. A tender and moving account of those caught in a trap - full of painful truths.

Extract
'Ain't no way Edward coulda done this,'...
'I was there,' an angry voice answers... 'Seen the trolley damn near flying, sparks and metal everywhere. Folks scattering every which way. Bodies everywhere.' His body ripples when he speaks like it can't contain itself, excited ....
The crowd looks at me for confirmation. My boy wouldn't do that.
'He has been acting strange' .... 'Hanging around with them union boys.'
'They bound to put him up to it. You know they wouldn't allow no colored to operate no trolley.'
'I don't believe it,' a voice interrupts.
'Sounds like something he would do,' someone else chimes in.
Suddenly everybody knows my boy.
Parallels
  • The Long Song by Andrea Levy
  • Roots by Alex Haley
  • Housekeeping by Marilynne Robinson