By Eartha Bell
Contributing Writer
Family is at times powerful, tragic, hopeful, and wrenching. In her first novel, J. California Cooper manages to capture a breadth of emotions as she guides the reader through the lives of a family born into slavery during the Civil War era. Published in 1991 (Anchor Books, $13.95), Family illustrates the resiliency of the human spirit in the face of these staggering atrocities.
Cooper brings to Family the same adept storytelling skills that have made her beloved by fans of her short stories. Her effortless narration makes for a quick read that all audiences will find hard to put down.
Clora, “born a free human being but made a slave right after,” follows in her own mother’s footsteps by committing suicide. She narrates the story as a ghost-like figure chronicling the lives of the children she left behind. Clora’s family spreads out across the country; they are sold, freed, murdered and married off.
Clora closely watches her eldest daughter, Always. After being sold to another plantation away from her family and witnessing her younger sister die tragically, Always manages through hard work, resilience and cleverness to put away some money.
Speaking to another slave, Always explains the importance of learning to read any way they could manage: “You ain’t dead. And slavin can kill you. You ain’t sold again…yet…and readin can help you. Somethin in your head worth as much as silver in your pocket…sometime.”
After the end of the Civil War, Always is able to purchase land of her own and raise a family. Always’ unwillingness to let her circumstances overcome her will resonate with readers for long after the book is finished.
Ultimately, Cooper tells a story that is about the human family. As Clora watches her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, they marry White folks, escape to the North, and move to other countries. “All my family, my blood, is mixed up now. They don’t even all know each other,” she laments. “I just hope they don’t never hate or fight each other, not knowin who they are. Cause all these people livin are brothers and sisters and cousins. All these beautiful different colors! We!… We the human Family. God said so! FAMILY!” Her message resounds as one of peace.
Get a free copy of Family! Join Givens Black Books for a Black History Month event at Rondo Community Outreach Library, 461 Dale St. N., St. Paul, on Thursday, February 17, 7 pm, celebrating Family and the work of J. California Cooper with a panel of local scholars and a performance by acclaimed storyteller Nothando Zulu.
Fall 2010 marked the launch of the Givens Foundation’s Givens Black Books Community Reading Campaign, with the goal of increasing access to and engagement in the literary arts in the Twin Cities African American Community. This year, the campaign celebrates the work of J. California Cooper. Call 952-831-2555 or go to www.givens.org for more information about upcoming events.
Eartha Bell is assistant director of the Givens Foundation for African American Literature.
