Revelations - Paperback

by Charlotte Phoenix (Author)

An epic family saga that follows a legacy of faith, values, and traditions passed down through seven generations of an African American family, Revelations takes readers on an emotional journey of 170 years filled with drama, suspense, trials, triumphs, and tear-jerking events in the life stories recounted by five women from different generations:

Claudia - an idealistic New York journalist is motivated in 2004 to investigate her family's past when shocking 30-year-old secrets are exposed and threaten to disrupt her seemingly perfect family.

Sarah - Claudia's mother confesses to a history of manipulation and deceit rooted in tragic losses that compelled her to take charge of her life in 1963 at age 15. She entrusts Claudia with the private journals of family matriarchs from three prior generations.

Juliette - Claudia's great-great-grandmother must decide in 1885 at 17 whether to move North and easily pass for white or to live out her days as a Black woman in Mississippi.

Bea - Claudia's great-grandmother, Juliette's daughter-in-law, is forced to flee Mississippi pregnant in 1916 to escape death at the hands of the Ku Klux Klan and to flee Ohio pregnant in 1919 to escape violence threatened by labor union organizers.

Mary - Claudia's grandmother, Bea's daughter, faces harsh consequences in the 1940's- '50's for daring to think she should have the same options as men in managing her personal and professional life.

Through their personal accounts, Claudia gleans their unique perspectives on America's history and social evolution from 19th Century Mississippi to 21st Century New York. She easily relates to their stories as they address universal human needs, desires, goals, and challenges that transcend time and location. Reflecting on the revelations of her ancestors' narratives, Claudia discovers surprising truths about herself that help her resolve her personal issues.