Lift Every Voice: A Genealogical Study of an African American Family and the Political Social Issues That Impacted Their Lives 1830s 1960s

In Lift Every Voice, Elaine A. Edwards provides a wealth of family photos and family stories that introduce real characters living real lives filled with tragedy and trauma but also layered with small triumphs. Each generation demonstrates steadfast resilience and patriotism through military service. From slavery to Reconstruction to the Civil Rights Movement, these stories make you laugh and cry. Elaine has collectively interwoven her familial lineage traversing from South Carolina, Alabama, West Virginia, and Michigan with nation-building stories about sharecropping, the mining industry and the automotive industry. She utilizes both research and original documents to support the family narrative and lived experiences. The book details the ordinary lives of persons who lived during extraordinary times with each generation building what MLK Jr. termed the "Beloved Community."