Roll of Thunder, Here My Cry and Let the Circle be Unbroken by Mildred D. Taylor were published in 1976 and 1981 in the USA. I read editions from the Puffin Plus series. Thanks Jennifer for these ones, I hadn’t even heard of the author before.
The first one begins in 1933 in America’s deep south. Mississippi. It’s a tough time for farmers but particularly for black farmers, but the Logan family are a bit better off than most of their neighbours who are only sharecroppers. The Logans actually own their land, but the wealthy white landowner who owns the land adjoining theirs is determined to get their land for himself.
Cassie Logan is the only girl in her family, she has three brothers and lives with her parents and her grandmother. Her father is having to work away from home for most of the time though, so that he can earn money on the railroad, that money pays the annual tax which is due on his land.
Life is difficult for the children too, just getting to school in the morning is a nightmare as they have to walk on what is often a muddy track, having to try to dodge the white children’s bus as the driver is determined to splash them with mud while the white children cheer. Life for the black people is just one humiliation after another, but it’s the night riders (Ku Klux Klan) who terrify the black people. Just a rumour of ‘disrespect’ from a black person could end up with them being lynched or burnt out. Cassie has a lot to learn, and none of it makes sense. This one won the Newbery Medal.
Let the Circle be Unbroken is set two years later. Things are even worse for the black people now, the Depression is biting deeper and the ‘solutions’ put forward by the government are only making things worse, especially for sharecroppers. Granger, the main white landowner is conning the Logan family out of money which was due to them from the government and Cassie’s mother has lost her teaching job.
Mr Morrison has become part of the Logan household, he’s over seven feet tall and Cassie’s father won’t worry so much about his family while he is away on the railroad work. But it’s young T.J. Avery who gets into big trouble. He’s a young black neighbour and is rather full of himself. When a couple of white lads befriend him you just know it’s going to end in tears.
Stacey Logan, the eldest son decides that he is going to leave and find work elsewhere, but he just runs off and they hear nothing from him, everyone fears the worst.
These are both really good reads, if somewhat depressing, as in some ways things don’t seem to be getting a lot better for the black people in the deep south of the US.
Thanks for bringing my attention to these books, and to the author. It’s a point of view not often dramatised, and I’m looking forward to learning more. Your review has sparked my interest!
Bonnie,
I hope you can easily get a hold of copies of her books, there are others in the series but these ones seem to be the most mentioned. They’re not exactly light reading but they’re important social history I think, and I loved the Logan family. I’m always slightly uncomfortable when black people have Scottish surnames though as it might mean that their ancestors were slaves owned by Scots, a disturbing thought.
I’ve never read this series, although I think Roll of Thunder won our Newbery Award as the best (or sometimes most important) book of the year, as I think it came out at a time when I was reading adult fiction instead. I see she went back and wrote books that take place before this one, which is confusing. An important author – hopefully not banned in the south although these days you never know!
Constance,
I hadn’t thought about that, they probably have been banned in the south! I think they’re important social history and if I can get a hold of the others I’ll read them too. It was interesting that Roosevelt’s efforts to help farmers only ended up making matters worse – the best laid plans – and all that! He is only ever called the president though, not named.
I didn’t remember I sent these! They are not particularly cheerful, as you said, but they do provide a necessary picture of the way life was for many people. I must have read them when they first were published, based on Constance’s comment, and they made a huge impression on me.
Jennifer,
I really liked the Logan family and felt for them with their troubles. I found them very interesting and will read the others if I can. I don’t know why it took me so long to get around to reading them! Thanks again for all the books!
I read Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry at school as a teenager and remember having to write an essay about why I found Cassie an appealing character! I’ve never read it again since and didn’t know there was a sequel. I’m glad you enjoyed both of them.
Helen,
I think there are five books in the series, it sounds like some of them go back in time though. Cassie is such a great character, there’s so much to admire about her!