Negroland

Reviews

“Jefferson’s descriptions of how she ‘craved’ the right to despair are some of the most haunting parts of the book.”

“Powerful…Deftly explores the tensions that come with being part of America’s black elite.”

“Jefferson is a national treasure, and her memoir should be required reading across the country.”

“Part memoir, part confession, part cultural critique, and part something that might be called prayer, Negroland is razor sharp, self-lacerating, and singular.”

“Chronicles a lifetime as a member of Chicago’s black elite…How can a book so slim take on such mammoth considerations and manage them with such efficacy? Perhaps because we gain entry via one girl and, later, the woman she becomes.”

“Robin Miles narrates this insightful memoir…Miles’ narration grows more emotional when the memoir describes Jefferson’s youth in 1950s and ‘60s Chicago….Miles delivers a fascinating view of black class structure, attitudes on color, civil rights, feminism, privilege, and the fight for equality in white and black society.”

“Jefferson is simultaneously looking in and looking out at her blackness, elusive in her terse, evocative reconnaissance, leaving us yearning to know more.”

“Negroland is not about raw racism or caricatured villains. It is about subtleties and nuances, presumptions, and slights that chip away at one’s humanity and take a mental toll. It is the story of Jefferson’s evolution, too.”

“Jefferson’s beautiful, unsettling account…may be a story about the past, but her observations on racial tension and prejudice in America ring true today as well. This is not just a book about one woman’s history; it’s a biography of the United States and the everyday struggle for equality.”

“A candid observer, Jefferson articulates the complicated and calculated performance of upper-class black life.”

“A beautifully written memoir.”

“Highly recommended for biography and memoir lovers, historians, and readers interested in psychology and social movements.”

“Jefferson swings the narrative back and forth through her life, exploring the tides of racism, opportunity, and dignity while also provocatively exploring the inherent contradictions for Jefferson and her family members in working so tirelessly to differentiate themselves.”

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