Iola Leroy; Or, Shadows Uplifted

"Iola Leroy; Or, Shadows Uplifted" by Frances Ellen Watkins Harper is a story set in the aftermath of the Civil War. Through its main protagonist, Iola Leroy, the book examines race, the meaning of freedom, and figuring out who you are in a world still grappling with the hangover of slavery. Iola, a woman with mixed ancestry, struggles with the complexities of her identity in a world that seeks to put everyone in a neat box. The book opens by showing the lives of enslaved people as they covertly follow the happenings of the Civil War through coded language, using conversations about the market as a mask for their dreams of liberation. These early chapters paint a picture of their day-to-day existence and their eagerness for freedom, all while highlighting Iola's personal battles within a society filled with conflict. The story embodies a pivotal moment, not just for Iola and those around her, but for the entire African American population as they fight for their place in a country divided by war and prejudice.