Iola Leroy, or, Shadows Uplifted: (Dover Books on Literature & Drama)

This 1892 work was among the first novels published by an African-American woman. Its striking portrait of life during the Civil War and Reconstruction recounts a mixed-race woman's devotion to uplifting the black community. The daughter of a wealthy Mississippi planter, Iola Leroy led a life of comfort and privilege, never guessing at her mixed-race ancestry - until her father died and a treacherous relative sold her into slavery. This stirring tale of life during the Civil War and Reconstruction traces a young woman's struggles and triumphs on the path to self-discovery. Confronted with the truth of her origins, Iola Leroy rejects the secrecy and shame inherent to a life of passing as white. Instead, she devotes herself to the improvement of black society in this compelling exploration of race, politics, and class. The New York Times noted that this 1892 work was "probably the bestselling novel by an African-American before the twentieth century." It bears the additional distinction of being among the first novels published by an African-American woman. Author Frances E. W. Harper, a popular lecturer and poet, was a leader in the suffrage and temperance movements and a founding member of the National Association of Colored Women. In Iola Leroy, she advocates female self-sufficiency and independence within the context of a gripping work of historical fiction.

Table of Contents:
I. Mystery of Market Speech and Prayer-Meeting II. Contraband of War III. Uncle Daniel's Story IV. Arrival of the Union Army V. The Release of Iola Leroy VI. Robert Johnson's Promotion and Religion VII. Tom Anderson's Death VIII. The Mystified Doctor IX Eugene Leroy and Alfred Lorraine X. Shadows in the Home XI. The Plague and the Law XII. School-Girl Notions XIII. A Rejected Suitor XIV. Harry Leroy XV. Robert and His Company XVI. After the Battle XVII. Flames in the School-Room XVIII. Searching for Lost Ones XIX. Striking Contrasts XX. A Revelation XXI. A Home for Mother XXII. Further Lifting of the Veil XXIII. Delightful Reunions XXIV. Northern Experience XXV. An Old Friend XXVI. Open Questions XXVII Diverging Paths XXVIII. Dr. Latrobe's Mistake XXIX. Visitors from the South XXX. Friends in Council XXXI. Dawning Affections XXXII. Wooing and Wedding XXXIII. Conclusion NOTE

About the Author :
A poet, author, and popular public speaker, Frances E. W. Harper (1825-1911) was active in the suffrage and temperance movements and a founding member of the National Association of Colored Women.