The Friends of Charlotte Forten Book Club is currently reading about our “Gullah Statesman” Robert Smalls, there is much to learn and know about him. The biographical works about this man and his fortitude are vast, my favorite is the Gullah Statesman. We are reading the new historical fiction book “Trouble the Water” by Rebecca Bruffe. “Bruff fell in love with the story of Robert Smalls on her first visit to South Carolina. Captivated and inspired, Bruff left her job and moved across the country to research and write Trouble the Water. The novel navigates the rich tributaries of courage, betrayal, and redemption. “Rather than a biography,” notes Bruff, “I wanted to imagine the world in which he lived…. I’ve attempted to honor the perspectives of a few women and men, black and white, enslaved and free, while recognizing the historical and cultural distances to be bridged….The man changed countless lives. Including mine.”” Charlotte Forten shared an account in her journal on Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, November 27, 1862 of a dinner address made by General Saxon in which he mentions his conversation with recently freed Robert Smalls. “Then he told them the story of Robert Small[s],39 and added. "To-day Robt. came to see me. I asked him how he was getting on in the store which he is keeping for the freed people. He said he was doing very well-making fifty dollars a week, sometimes, "But" said he ["]Gen I'm going to stop keeping store. I'm going to enlist. "What," said I. "Are you going to enlist when you can make fifty doll[ar]s a week keeping store." "Yes Sir," he replied "I'm going to enlist as a private in the black regiment. How can I expect to keep my freedom if I'm not willing to fightforit? Suppose the Seceshsh'ld get back here again? what good w'ld my fifty dolls. do me then? Yes, Sir I sh'ld enlist if I were making a thousand dollars a week." What a powerful statement! #RobertSmalls #charlotteforten #reconstructionhistory #PortRoyalExperiment #TheGullahStatesman #beaufortsc #TroubletheWaterbook #RebeccaBruffe @penncenter #summerreading #goodbooks #goodreads #bookstagram #books #bookshelf #bookclub #friendsofcharlotteforten (at Saint Helena Island) https://www.instagram.com/p/Byg8Qq4A13-/?igshid=141civxu5wb2r
