The Reading List

THE READING LIST

YELLOW WIFE

WRITTEN BY SADEQA JOHNSON

REVIEWED BY SARA HEMINGWAY

2021 ATHENA AWARD RECIPIENT, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF MARILYN AND WILLIAM YOUNG FOUNDATION

Curling up with an engrossing book has always been one of my greatest joys. Reading relaxes me while providing hours of respite after a stressful day. I am most often drawn to the genre of historical fiction particularly when it involves the trials and triumphs of a formidable and courageous woman. Sadeqa Johnson’s page turning novel Yellow Wife set in the mid-19th century explores the strength of a mother and what ends she will go to protect her children.

Inspired by the true story of Mary Lumpkin and Lumpkin’s jail in Richmond, Virginia, Yellow Wife follows the life of a young mulatto slave named Pheby Delores Brown. A few months prior to her 18th birthday Pheby loses her mother to illness, and after a broken promise of freedom by her plantation’s owner, is sold to traders. Eventually she arrives on the auction block at Lapier’s Jail, where she is rescued by the jailer and then lives with him as his wife and eventually, mother of his children. Over time, Pheby is elevated to the role of mistress of the jail operation, managing the staff and using her skills as a seamstress to sew clothes for young girls who are to be sold at auction. The years she spends living at the jail are deeply emotional and she endures tremendous mental turmoil at the hands of Jailer Lapier. The scenes are often gut-wrenching, and Johnson does not shy away from the atrocities that occurred at the jail.

This novel remains in my mind although I read it months ago. Not only is the story well researched and full of history, but the author also eloquently translates what it felt for Pheby to essentially be the property of another person. Despite her circumstances, Pheby manages to find simple pleasures in her daily routine, and I found this inspiring. She endured difficulties and cruelties which were often arduous to read but I believed it necessary to persist so that I could better comprehend this painful part of history.

Heroes such as Pheby Delores Brown prove that determined women throughout history have sacrificed immeasurably to keep their families safe and provide opportunities for them to advance. She never lost her hope and love for life and I was captivated by her resolve. Yellow Wife will give you a firsthand perspective on what one woman’s life can do to change the trajectory of an entire generation.