#13 in African Literature (Kindle Store)
#24 in Teen & Young Adult US 19th Century Historical Fiction eBooks
#59 in Teen & Young Adult 19th Century United States Historical Fiction

A brief history is in order. Black suffrage was a tool of white supremacy before the Civil War. During the 1860s, in a New York State election, people voted against black suffrage.

 White behavior will make you go, hmmmmmm WTF. How many free Africans lived in NY in 1860? Out of a NYC population of 7,000,  1,600 were of African descent and most of them were slaves. I guess the thinking was “Shit, let the 100 black folks vote and they will take over everything and fuck it up for us.”

The 15th Amendment to the Constitution guaranteed Americans the right to vote in 1870. They signed it into law after the Civil War. It was up to Congress to enforce the law with legislation.

 How is that working out? 

  Led by freed men and women ex-slaves aligned with white allies in the south, to sweep Republicans into power. Just think about that for a moment. The civil war ended 5 years earlier and ex-slaves were exercising their right to vote. Most were illiterate but understood the power of the vote after being “free” for only 5 years. Let no one try to diminish our understanding of the power of the vote!

 How did America react to our proving we understood more than we let on? Compromise legislation between the former Slave States and the federal government for votes freed up the South to terrorize free African Americans while they denied our right to vote. America turned its back and looked the other way.

 We passed the first Civil Rights Act in 1957,  87 years after the 15th Amendment authorizing prosecution for those who violated the right to vote for United States citizens.

 The assault on our right to vote continues and now it's approaching 150 years. Marinate on that. States like Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, and North Carolina gerrymandered districts to restrict the voting impact of African Americans. They will do whatever it takes to keep people of color at arm’s length, including creating an illusion of voting fraud, gerrymandering districts, and whatever else it takes to make the voting process more restrictive. Nothing has changed for us when it comes to voting!

The WPP narrative is that we don’t vote because we are leeches of government and just don’t care. But history tells a much different story. Led by freed men and women ex-slaves aligned with white allies in the south, to sweep Republicans into power. Just think about that for a moment. The civil war ended 5 years earlier and ex-slaves were exercising their right to vote. Most were illiterate but understood the power of the vote after being “free” for only 5 years. Let no one try to diminish our understanding of the power of the vote!

How did America react to our proving we understood more than we let on? Compromise legislation between the former Slave States and the federal government for votes freed up the South to terrorize free African Americans while they denied our right to vote. America turned its back and looked the other way.

We passed the first Civil Rights Act in 1957,  87 years after the 15th Amendment, allowing prosecution for those who violated the right to vote for United States citizens.

he assault on our right to vote continues and now it's approaching 150 years. Marinate on that. States like Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, and North Carolina gerrymandered districts to restrict the voting impact of African Americans. They will do whatever it takes to keep people of color at arm’s length, including creating an illusion of voting fraud, gerrymandering districts, and whatever else it takes to make the voting process more restrictive. Nothing has changed for us with voting!

 So, the vision of democracy we black folks depend on and support is now supported by one leg. Democrats use us as bait in compromised legislation and we end up losing. Republicans continue to take away our voting rights.

America left us with a one-legged stool while they sat comfortably on a cushioned three-legged stool.

I thought the same way. At the same time, the Chronicles’ has to begin on a plantation. For a novice writer like me, it was a challenge. How do I bring the story to life and not write about the breakup of families and the brutality?

I published the first book in the Chronicles’ “If Cotton Could Talk” to tell a story about relationships created by strangers with one goal in mind. Prepare and plan for freedom. It's not a book about slavery. It's a story about relationships!

Reviewed in the United States on October 16, 2023

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I have read quite a few books on the Civil War but none that told the daily life & appalling conditions that slaves had to endure.
I see this is the first book in a series & I cannot wait to get the next book.

Well done, Mr. Hayes!

Bertha’s son Junior and her grandson Earl build an extensive business, angering powerful people. Learning from the elders to protect the family in “If The Elders Call,” Earl recruits a band of black outlaws to help him rescue his nephew Charlie from an NC pine farm. They sell their business and escape to New Orleans after dispatching KKK terrorists, including the sheriff and his deputy.

Earl passes family leadership to his daughter Linda, who builds an international import/export business in “If New Orleans Could Talk.” After the KKK kills her brother in jail, she plans to avenge his murder with the help of a black brothel madam with blue eyes, Betty Jones. They leave the violence of the South and join the great migration to Chicago.

Experience the danger, thrill, and tenacity of a family's struggle to protect their legacy in the face of a violent Reconstruction-era South in "If the Elders Call". Bertha and Tucker, two former slaves introduced In “If Cotton Could Talk” have instilled the values of the Elders into their children: Junior, Joan, Joseph, Rose, and Gladys. But when a ruthless sheriff and a wealthy white supremacist target their newfound success, Junior, and his son Earl, must step up and take charge. 

At the same time, a new set of characters emerge to challenge Bertha’s grandson, Earl. Shorty the psychopathic killer, the Commander, the leader of a band of outlaws, and the notorious gangster Gaddes add to the danger and suspense of the story.

Will Earl's plan for revenge work? Or will he put his loved ones in danger? Can anyone be trusted? If you enjoyed the thrilling family sagas "Roots" and "Django", you'll be sure to love "If the Elders Call". Don't miss out on this captivating story

Recently relocated to New Orleans, Earl Thomas sets about getting his family settled and in the business of making money so they can get to their next safe destination, Chicago.

This gripping tale of family, freedom, and forbidden dreams is set in early 20th-century New Orleans. Earl and his family are determined to make a better life for themselves, and his daughter Linda is eager to learn, grow, and lead the family out of the South.

Betty Jones, a brothel madam with bright blue eyes, assumes the role of elder to Linda. Betty and  Linda want to create a business that was forbidden and off-limits to blacks. Their business was dependent on a complex and dangerous start-up plan. If the plan fails there would be catastrophic consequences for everyone they cared about.

Meanwhile, Linda's brother Charlie abandons his family to find respect but unwittingly creates enemies when he dares to cross the color barrier.

 But something was coming that only Betty can foresee, can she get Linda ready in time?

An unforgettable story of resilience and courage, readers will be on the edge of their seats as they follow Linda and her family's journey to migrate from the Segregated South. A captivating thriller with amazing heroes, heroines, and villains, including a hint of mystic-like intervention as the suspense and story evolve.

In the first installment, "If Cotton Could Talk," readers will be transported to a cotton plantation in Mississippi in 1850, and follow the inspiring story of the relationships between those enslaved.

In the second book, "If the Elders Call," readers will witness the next generation led by Earl, fighting back against the violent reaction to Reconstruction and the KKK.  

Finally, "If New Orleans Could Talk" highlights Linda, Earl's daughter, and the powerful lessons she learns from a New Orleans madam with blue eyes.

Each book is a unique look at how politics and white self-interest shape policy and consequently history to the detriment of African Americans. If you enjoy books with great stories, complex plots, and relatable characters you'll be hooked on the WhileBlack Chronicles.

If Cotton Could Talk (published February 2021)

#162 in Black & African American Historical Fiction (Kindle Store)

Customer Reviews: 4.3 out of 5 stars    133 ratings

If The Elders Call (published December 2021)

#143 in Black & African American Historical Fiction (Kindle Store)

Customer Reviews: 4.4 out of 5 stars    62 ratings

If New Orleans Could Talk (Published March 2023)

#184 in Black & African American Historical Fiction (Kindle Store)

Customer Reviews: 4.3 out of 5
stars    16 ratings