Women in Chains: The Legacy of Slavery in Black Women's Fiction

WOMEN IN CHAINS

WOMEN IN CHAINS The Legacy of Slavery in Black Women’s Fiction Venetria K. Patton STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK PRESS Cover artwork by Regina C. Jeanpierre. Production by Ruth Fisher Marketing by Fran Keneston Published by State University of New York Press, Albany© 2000 State University of New York All rights reserved Printed in the United States of America No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission. No part of this book may be stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means including electronic, electrostatic, magnetic tape, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise without the prior permission in writing of the publisher. For information, address the State University of New York Press, State University Plaza, Albany, NY 12246 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Patton, Venetria K., 1968– Women in chains : the legacy of slavery in Black women’s fiction / Venetria K. Patton. p. cm. — (SUNY series in Afro-American studies) Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 0-7914-4343-4 (hc : alk. paper). — ISBN 0-7914-4344-2 (pbk. : alk. paper) 1. American fiction—Afro-American authors—History and criticism. 2. Women and literature—United States—History—20th century. 3. American fiction—Women authors—History and criticism. 4. Afro-American families in literature. 5. Afro-American women in literature. 6. Mother and child in literature. 7. Afro-Americans in literature 8. Motherhood in literature. 9. Slavery in literature. I. Title. II. Series. PS374.N4P38 1999 813’.5099287’08996073—dc21 99-14973 CIP 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 This book is dedicated to my mother, Hildegarde J. Patton and in memory of my father, Frederick J. Patton Page vi Blank ...