I am sorry, dear readers, that I have been radio silent these last several weeks. My wife and I have been closing down our apartment (second place) in Seattle and consolidating everything in our permanent home in Las Vegas. That said, I was inspired by the April JAFF Writer/Reader Get-together Work-in-Progress session. There we heard some wonderful examples which illustrated to me how much has changed in our genre in the last two years in terms of diverse presentations in #Austenesque literature. Today’s column finds its roots therein. Given that I have not engaged with you for several weeks, it will be longer.
Don, thanks for starting your own blog. I am sorry to discover, but not surprised, that Austen Authors pulled this article because it was "too controversial." I am African American. I am not surprised that British English sent their Black children back to England to be raised. It was a common practice for slave owners who cared about their children to deed them property or free upon their death. This is how many mulattos in America received property. My maternal grandmother has the distinction of being the only African - American buried in all-white cemetery because her father was a member of the family. Her mother died in childbirth, so his wife (white) raised her. My great-grandmother was a freed slave. I recently discovered this at this year's 47th family reunion. What people think is impossible or improbability isn't. I am 64. I have an Italian cousin who is 10% African-American. We discovered each other on Ancestry.com. We are in the same age bracket. We share grandparents on my father's side of the family!
I am loving the diversity of P&P. Shakespeare wrote Othello. People of color as well as Black people have lived in the world for centuries. What is wrong with these people?
I completely agree. There should be little debate about allowing POC to be a part of the JAFF. To be even more sure in the conviction of adding POC as characters in JAFF, authors should read Gretchen Gerzina "Black London".
Don, thanks for starting your own blog. I am sorry to discover, but not surprised, that Austen Authors pulled this article because it was "too controversial." I am African American. I am not surprised that British English sent their Black children back to England to be raised. It was a common practice for slave owners who cared about their children to deed them property or free upon their death. This is how many mulattos in America received property. My maternal grandmother has the distinction of being the only African - American buried in all-white cemetery because her father was a member of the family. Her mother died in childbirth, so his wife (white) raised her. My great-grandmother was a freed slave. I recently discovered this at this year's 47th family reunion. What people think is impossible or improbability isn't. I am 64. I have an Italian cousin who is 10% African-American. We discovered each other on Ancestry.com. We are in the same age bracket. We share grandparents on my father's side of the family!
I am loving the diversity of P&P. Shakespeare wrote Othello. People of color as well as Black people have lived in the world for centuries. What is wrong with these people?
I completely agree. There should be little debate about allowing POC to be a part of the JAFF. To be even more sure in the conviction of adding POC as characters in JAFF, authors should read Gretchen Gerzina "Black London".