Mam' Lyddy's Recognition 1908

"Mam' Lyddy's Recognition" by Thomas Nelson Page is a story set in the South after the Civil War, that pulls at the threads of race, identity, and the way society was structured. The book follows Mam' Lyddy, once enslaved, as she tries to find her place in a world that's starting to change and it shows the complicated relationships between African Americans and the families they used to serve, focusing on Mam' Lyddy's life as she goes from being a caretaker for the French family to facing new challenges in the North with the Graemes, her former master’s family. In the North, she has to find her way through new social customs and expectations, as she is now an older woman trying to hold onto her dignity and get the respect she deserves. The book highlights how Mam' Lyddy deals with issues of loyalty and the need to feel valued, especially as she interacts with people like Reverend Amos Johnson while wanting to be seen as a respected person in her community.