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A review by year23
Negroland by Margo Jefferson
informative
reflective
medium-paced
3.5
A blend of history and memoir - focused mostly on the 50s and 60s. I wanted more memoir than history but appreciated the focus on a specific section of Black community, starting from pre-Civil War - following how DuBois' notion of the "Talented Tenth" manifested in daily life for Black families. Though DuBois would later recant the idea of the Talented Tenth, the impact of that theory or position remains and has impacted generations of Black families. This is particularly resonant when the author shares of her mental health struggles in the late 60s/early 70s.
I still left the text wanting more of the author's life - she's a journalist, so putting everything in historical context - striking an objective tone- makes a lot of sense, but then you miss all the subjective experiences and emotions. It's still an important memoir that fills a gap in highlighting the upper-class Black community - both the privileges and challenges.
I still left the text wanting more of the author's life - she's a journalist, so putting everything in historical context - striking an objective tone- makes a lot of sense, but then you miss all the subjective experiences and emotions. It's still an important memoir that fills a gap in highlighting the upper-class Black community - both the privileges and challenges.