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A review by judithdcollins
Carolina Built by Kianna Alexander
4.0
BLACK HISTORY MONTH PICK.
CAROLINA BUILT is beautifully rendered and inspiring!
Author Kianna Alexander (romance writer) crosses over to the historical genre with an inspiring story based on the life of Josephine N. Leary, born into slavery and later built a real estate empire in North Carolina.
Being an NC native, I found this bit of untold history very interesting and had not heard of it previously. I appreciate this author's meticulous research into Mrs. Leary's history.
Born in 1856, Josephine was born into slavery. Following the Civil War, she was freed when she was 9 years old.
From the 1870s in Williamston, NC, she was a quick learner, a reader, and ambitious when Josephine was a child. After moving from the plantation where she was from. Her father was white, which was their former master, Colonel Lamb. Her mother, grandmother, and brother lived in a small cabin.
Set in Edenton, NC, after moving from the plantation Josephine was ready to settle down and live her dream. She worked in a barbershop as a teen, where she met her future husband, "Sweety" Leary. In 1873 Josephine Williams married Sweety Archer Leary; both worked as barbers.
She wound up later buying the building with money from her father as a wedding gift. In 1881 Mrs. Leary, skillfully maneuvering the real estate market purchased six properties in the "Cheapside" district.
In the novel, Sweety is supportive at first, but they get jealous of an ambitious woman like most men. Plus, often times the community did not respect her being a woman and of color. However, she preserves, becomes a mother of two daughters, and teaches them the importance of reading, education, and independence.
There were many challenges in a man's world during this era, but Josephine was set on investing in real estate. She became successful and ran several businesses while raising her family while overcoming many challenges being a woman of color in a man's world.
As we advance to the Epilogue, March 1894 in Edenton, NC, she has a new building, the J. N. Leary Building, with several tenants. The author includes photos of the historical site and other images and an extensive bibliography.
In 1893, a fire destroyed the east side of Broad St; everything from King to Water St is lost. Mrs. Leary's investment is a pile of ashes. In 1894 Mrs. Leary had a big decision to sell land or rebuild? Optimistically chooses to build her signature building.
Most of the time, back in the 1970s in NC, they would not even allow a woman of childbearing years to sign on a mortgage and would not count her income. So I appreciate this tenacious, courageous, and determined woman making history.
On a side note:
A highly recommended read for black history month and honoring the courageous life of Josephine Napoleon Leary. A special thank you to the author for the re-imagining and retelling of an essential biographical fiction of this admirable and passionate woman. I think she would be proud. #CoverCrush
Many thanks to #NetGalley and #GalleryBooks for an advanced reading copy.
Blog Posted at:
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
My Rating: 4 Stars
Pub Date: Feb 22, 2022
CAROLINA BUILT is beautifully rendered and inspiring!
Author Kianna Alexander (romance writer) crosses over to the historical genre with an inspiring story based on the life of Josephine N. Leary, born into slavery and later built a real estate empire in North Carolina.
Being an NC native, I found this bit of untold history very interesting and had not heard of it previously. I appreciate this author's meticulous research into Mrs. Leary's history.
Born in 1856, Josephine was born into slavery. Following the Civil War, she was freed when she was 9 years old.
From the 1870s in Williamston, NC, she was a quick learner, a reader, and ambitious when Josephine was a child. After moving from the plantation where she was from. Her father was white, which was their former master, Colonel Lamb. Her mother, grandmother, and brother lived in a small cabin.
Set in Edenton, NC, after moving from the plantation Josephine was ready to settle down and live her dream. She worked in a barbershop as a teen, where she met her future husband, "Sweety" Leary. In 1873 Josephine Williams married Sweety Archer Leary; both worked as barbers.
She wound up later buying the building with money from her father as a wedding gift. In 1881 Mrs. Leary, skillfully maneuvering the real estate market purchased six properties in the "Cheapside" district.
In the novel, Sweety is supportive at first, but they get jealous of an ambitious woman like most men. Plus, often times the community did not respect her being a woman and of color. However, she preserves, becomes a mother of two daughters, and teaches them the importance of reading, education, and independence.
There were many challenges in a man's world during this era, but Josephine was set on investing in real estate. She became successful and ran several businesses while raising her family while overcoming many challenges being a woman of color in a man's world.
As we advance to the Epilogue, March 1894 in Edenton, NC, she has a new building, the J. N. Leary Building, with several tenants. The author includes photos of the historical site and other images and an extensive bibliography.
In 1893, a fire destroyed the east side of Broad St; everything from King to Water St is lost. Mrs. Leary's investment is a pile of ashes. In 1894 Mrs. Leary had a big decision to sell land or rebuild? Optimistically chooses to build her signature building.
Most of the time, back in the 1970s in NC, they would not even allow a woman of childbearing years to sign on a mortgage and would not count her income. So I appreciate this tenacious, courageous, and determined woman making history.
On a side note:
After reading, of course, I went "googling" and was sad to learn in late 1893, the fire that destroyed the entire section known as "Cheapside," a 17th Century London name describing an area of shops—Nothing was insured. Her buildings were gone, but she had the land. You can read more about it here: Historical Marker Data Base (view the building, photos, notations, and her name after rebuilding in 1894).
For a woman born into slavery to reach her status is incredible. Unfortunately, her life of success and admiration became one of despair as she was fighting cancer. She borrows against her investments to cover medical bills. Her holdings dwindled while she fought cancer for 8 years, dying at 67.
In 1823 she died from stomach cancer while still owning 133 E. Church St, 102 S. Broad St, and 317 S. Broad St properties. All mired in a tangle of debt supporting her medical expenses.
Mrs. Leary bought her first property when she was 17 years old for $550.00! I can appreciate this since I was age 18, living in NC when I purchased my first property for $14,500 plus the cost of land. I cannot imagine living in the 1800s and doing so.
A highly recommended read for black history month and honoring the courageous life of Josephine Napoleon Leary. A special thank you to the author for the re-imagining and retelling of an essential biographical fiction of this admirable and passionate woman. I think she would be proud. #CoverCrush
Many thanks to #NetGalley and #GalleryBooks for an advanced reading copy.
Blog Posted at:
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
My Rating: 4 Stars
Pub Date: Feb 22, 2022