In 2020 I’m looking forward to reading The Other Madisons: The Lost History of a President’s Black Family, by Bettye Kearse, MD. I met Dr. Kearse, a retired pediatrician, a couple of years ago after we both had essays featured in the anthology, Black Lives Have Always Mattered, published by 2Leaf Press. She and I gave readings together at Porter Square Books and were featured panelists on Boston Neighborhood Network. During these occasions, she mentioned that she was working on a book about being a descendant of President James Madison and her many years-long genealogical investigation. I was intrigued. Now I see that her book will be available in March 2020.
Here is the synopsis for The Other Madisons.
In The Other Madisons, Bettye Kearse—a descendant of a slave named Coreen and, according to oral tradition, President James Madison—finally shares her family story, exploring legacy, race, and the powerful consequences of telling the whole truth.
For thousands of years, West African griots (men) and griottes (women) have recited the stories of their people. Without this tradition Bettye Kearse would not have known that she is a descendant of President James Madison and his slave Coreen. In 1990, Bettye became the eighth-generation griotte for her family. Their credo—“Always remember—you’re a Madison. You come from African slaves and a president”—was intended as a source of pride, but for her, it echoed with abuses of slavery and rape.
Bettye embarked on a journey of discovery—of her ancestors, the nation, and herself. She learned that wherever African slaves walked, recorded history silenced their voices and buried their footsteps: beside a slave-holding fortress in Ghana; below a federal building in New York City; and under a brick walkway at James Madison’s Virginia plantation. And when Bettye tried to confirm the information her ancestors passed down, she encountered obstacles at every turn.
Part personal quest, part testimony, part historical correction, The Other Madisons is the story of an extraordinary American family by a griotte determined to tell the whole story.
Dr. Kearse has also written three children’s books that show the value of a loving relationship between grandparent and grandchild.
It’s one thing to look forward to reading a book, but knowing the author makes it more special.
