A photographic essay which offers a striking and moving tribute to African-American farmers. This is the companion book to Gilbert's PBS documentary; HOMECOMING.Homecoming traces the history of black farmers from Reconstruction to the present; as they struggle to survive today. Homecoming pays tribute not only to the devastating losses they have suffered throughout the century; but also to the legacy of hope that endures in the story of African-Americans working the land. "Revisiting the unbearable hardships encountered by my great-grandparents; grandparents; and parents as they sought to survive the inhuman sharecropping system of the post-Civil War South—a system in many ways more brutal than slavery—my heart breaks again. But reading Homecoming's account of our ancestors' determined humility; obdurate courage; and fierce pride in and love of the land; my heart is healed. I see why there is such a thing as ancestor worship. I could not love my sharecropping ancestors more if I had created them myself. That black Southerners still love nature and revere the earth is the legacy of a people whose innate elegance and dignity was always expressed in essentials." —Alice Walker "An extraordinary gift. . . . A moving; lyrical; and important history: a tale of land; labor; love; and loss." —Farah Jasmine Griffin "Moving; highly informative; and valuable." —Barbara Neely; author of Blanche Cleans Up
#578680 in Books Genealogical Publishing Company; Inc. 2007-04-30Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 9.21 x 1.65 x 6.14l; 2.80 #File Name: 0806317744833 pages
Review
12 of 12 people found the following review helpful. Superb Reference BookBy Hal TaitHave been patiently tracking my family tree over a 30 year period. When I saw this book I bought it and was rewarded with finding my lost ancestor link. This book helped me to greatly and is a great reference book. Would recommend it toi anyone searching for early VA history and the immigrants who arrived between 1607 and 1635.1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. This isn't something you sit back and read like a novelBy Music LoverI've never bought a resource book before. This isn't something you sit back and read like a novel; you can thumb through it; and look for your family name; and see the interactions between other people in the colony; and your relative. My ancestor John Woodall was in this extensively; and would be interesting to any other Woodall's out there that have relatives from Virginia.3 of 3 people found the following review helpful. My go to book!By Hannemann1I'm a genealogist and this book is a genealogy bible to me when it comes to early Virginia settlers. It is stuffed full of data and hard to find information. I have located info on quite a number of ancestors in this book and I consider it an invaluable asset to my research. The price is very fair also considering the size of the book.
