Reflections of a Prodigal Daughter #199

January 13, 2024
2 mins read

Reflections of a Prodigal Daughter

By Lisa B. Thompson | @DrLisaBThompson | with thanks to NewBlackMan (in Exile)

Monday, September 10, 2018.

My new play Monroe is dedicated to my maternal great uncle, Aubrey C. Holmes, the gentlest man that I have ever known. He grew up the son of a preacher in Ouachita Parish, Louisiana, the site of the fifth highest number of lynchings in the US from 1877 to 1950. It breaks my heart to know that my maternal relatives came of age in a city steeped in violence against men and women who looked like them. Just like my grandmother, mother, and father, my Uncle Aubrey moved to the San Francisco Bay Area during the Great Migration. I still wonder how he remained so kind and caring despite coming from a place mired in such horror.

Growing up in California in the 1970s did not shelter me from racial violence. When I was a child, I discovered my father’s copy of Ralph Ginzberg’s 100 Years of Lynchings. I felt both aghast and fascinated by the numerous accounts of those killed “at the hands of persons unknown.” I also recall overhearing stories about “trouble” back home during Sunday morning breakfasts of grits, eggs, bacon, biscuits and fresh squeezed orange juice while the San Francisco fog rolled in.

As a new professor, I poured over the lynching photos in James Allen’s Without Sanctuary but my mind did not linger on the vicious white mobs that brutalized black people. Instead, I imagined the family and friends of the victims who were also terrorized by these heinous crimes. How did they survive, love and dream in the aftermath of such agony?

I find it remarkable that my parents and I never spoke directly about lynching. I just stored what I overheard, read, and saw deep inside me. Those images are intertwined with my curiosity about my family choosing California as their destination when they fled the south for a better life. I’m the cousin, niece, grandchild, and daughter of those who abandoned the south for the west coast. Now, as part of what is considered the reverse Great Migration, I’m raising my son in the south. I wonder what stories he’s storing inside his soul as a black boy growing up in Texas and what he will eventually do with them?

During rehearsal, I carried a list of all the lynching victims in Monroe with me. I needed their names near. I pray that this play honors their lives and their memory. I hope thatMonroe inspires us to more bravely encounter what Nobel Laureate Toni Morrison describes as “unspeakable things unspoken.” Here’s to speaking the unspeakable, listening to history, and imagining a better future.

***

Lisa B. Thompson is a playwright and a professor of African & African Diaspora Studies at UT Austin. She is the author of Beyond the Black Lady: Sexuality and the African American Middle Class and the playsSingle Black Female, Underground, and The Mamalogues. The world premiere of her new play Monroe runs September 7-30, 2018 at the Austin Playhouse.

202 Comments

  1. Hi there, just became alert to your blog through Google, and found
    that it is really informative. I am gonna watch out for brussels.

    I will be grateful if you continue this in future. Many people will be benefited from your writing.
    Cheers! Escape room

  2. Hello there, I do believe your blog could possibly be having browser compatibility issues. Whenever I take a look at your site in Safari, it looks fine however, if opening in IE, it has some overlapping issues. I just wanted to provide you with a quick heads up! Other than that, excellent site!

  3. Having read this I thought it was really informative. I appreciate you taking the time and energy to put this information together. I once again find myself spending way too much time both reading and commenting. But so what, it was still worthwhile.

  4. An outstanding share! I have just forwarded this onto a coworker who had been conducting a little homework on this. And he in fact ordered me dinner simply because I stumbled upon it for him… lol. So allow me to reword this…. Thank YOU for the meal!! But yeah, thanks for spending the time to talk about this topic here on your website.

  5. Good post. I learn something totally new and challenging on sites I stumbleupon on a daily basis. It will always be helpful to read articles from other authors and use something from other sites.

  6. Hi there! I could have sworn I’ve been to this web site before but after going through many of the articles I realized it’s new to me. Anyhow, I’m definitely delighted I found it and I’ll be book-marking it and checking back regularly.

  7. Nice post. I learn something new and challenging on sites I stumbleupon on a daily basis. It’s always exciting to read content from other authors and practice a little something from other websites.

  8. Aw, this was an extremely good post. Taking the time and actual effort to make a really good article… but what can I say… I put things off a lot and never manage to get nearly anything done.

  9. I’m very pleased to find this page. I wanted to thank you for your time for this wonderful read!! I definitely liked every part of it and i also have you book-marked to look at new things in your web site.

  10. You’re so interesting! I don’t believe I have read something like that before. So good to discover somebody with some original thoughts on this subject. Seriously.. thanks for starting this up. This website is something that is required on the web, someone with some originality.

  11. I really love your website.. Pleasant colors & theme. Did you develop this site yourself? Please reply back as I’m wanting to create my own blog and would love to find out where you got this from or just what the theme is named. Appreciate it.

  12. Hi there! Do you know if they make any plugins to assist with SEO?

    I’m trying to get my website to rank for some targeted keywords
    but I’m not seeing very good success. If you know of any please
    share. Many thanks! You can read similar text here: Eco product

  13. The very next time I read a blog, I hope that it won’t disappoint me as much as this particular one. After all, I know it was my choice to read, however I truly thought you’d have something interesting to say. All I hear is a bunch of moaning about something that you could possibly fix if you were not too busy searching for attention.

  14. I’m extremely pleased to discover this website. I need to to thank you for ones time for this fantastic read!! I definitely loved every little bit of it and I have you book marked to look at new stuff on your blog.

  15. Greetings, There’s no doubt that your website may be having browser compatibility problems. When I take a look at your site in Safari, it looks fine however, when opening in Internet Explorer, it has some overlapping issues. I just wanted to give you a quick heads up! Apart from that, excellent website!

  16. Hi, I do believe this is an excellent website. I stumbledupon it 😉 I may come back once again since i have bookmarked it. Money and freedom is the best way to change, may you be rich and continue to guide others.

  17. Hi there! This blog post couldn’t be written much better! Reading through this article reminds me of my previous roommate! He always kept talking about this. I’ll forward this information to him. Pretty sure he will have a good read. Thanks for sharing!

  18. Hi there! This blog post could not be written any better! Going through this article reminds me of my previous roommate! He constantly kept talking about this. I am going to forward this post to him. Pretty sure he’s going to have a very good read. I appreciate you for sharing!

  19. Hello there! I could have sworn I’ve visited your blog before but after going through a few of the articles I realized it’s new to me. Anyhow, I’m definitely delighted I found it and I’ll be book-marking it and checking back frequently!

  20. Aw, this was a very good post. Taking the time and actual effort to make a very good article… but what can I say… I hesitate a lot and don’t manage to get nearly anything done.

  21. You’re so interesting! I don’t think I’ve truly read through anything like that before. So nice to find somebody with original thoughts on this subject matter. Seriously.. thank you for starting this up. This web site is one thing that’s needed on the web, someone with a little originality.

  22. Oh my goodness! Incredible article dude! Thank you so much, However I am experiencing difficulties with your RSS. I don’t understand why I cannot join it. Is there anybody having identical RSS issues? Anybody who knows the solution can you kindly respond? Thanx!!

  23. Oh my goodness! Amazing article dude! Thank you, However I am encountering difficulties with your RSS. I don’t know why I am unable to join it. Is there anybody getting similar RSS issues? Anyone who knows the answer can you kindly respond? Thanx.

  24. An interesting discussion is worth comment. I believe that you ought to write more about this topic, it might not be a taboo matter but generally people do not discuss such topics. To the next! Kind regards.

  25. Right here is the perfect web site for everyone who really wants to understand this topic. You understand so much its almost tough to argue with you (not that I personally will need to…HaHa). You certainly put a fresh spin on a topic that’s been written about for a long time. Wonderful stuff, just wonderful.

  26. Aw, this was an incredibly nice post. Spending some time and actual effort to create a good article… but what can I say… I hesitate a lot and don’t manage to get anything done.

  27. I’m amazed, I must say. Seldom do I come across a blog that’s both equally educative and amusing, and let me tell you, you’ve hit the nail on the head. The issue is something too few folks are speaking intelligently about. I’m very happy I found this in my hunt for something regarding this.

  28. You are so interesting! I do not suppose I have read something like that before. So good to discover somebody with some unique thoughts on this subject. Seriously.. thanks for starting this up. This website is something that is required on the web, someone with some originality.

  29. You are so interesting! I do not suppose I’ve truly read through something like this before. So good to find another person with a few genuine thoughts on this issue. Really.. thank you for starting this up. This web site is one thing that’s needed on the web, someone with a little originality.

  30. Everything is very open with a clear description of the issues. It was definitely informative. Your website is very helpful. Thanks for sharing!

  31. An outstanding share! I have just forwarded this onto a colleague who was doing a little homework on this. And he actually ordered me dinner because I discovered it for him… lol. So allow me to reword this…. Thanks for the meal!! But yeah, thanks for spending some time to discuss this subject here on your site.

  32. Spot on with this write-up, I really believe that this site needs much more attention. I’ll probably be returning to read through more, thanks for the information!

  33. I truly love your site.. Very nice colors & theme. Did you make this web site yourself? Please reply back as I’m trying to create my own blog and want to know where you got this from or what the theme is named. Cheers.

  34. Can I just say what a relief to discover somebody that really knows what they are discussing on the net. You actually know how to bring a problem to light and make it important. More and more people really need to check this out and understand this side of your story. I was surprised that you are not more popular because you definitely have the gift.

  35. Hello there! This blog post could not be written much better! Going through this post reminds me of my previous roommate! He continually kept talking about this. I’ll forward this information to him. Fairly certain he’s going to have a great read. Thank you for sharing!

  36. Howdy, I believe your blog could be having browser compatibility problems. When I take a look at your site in Safari, it looks fine but when opening in I.E., it has some overlapping issues. I just wanted to give you a quick heads up! Besides that, excellent site.

  37. You’re so awesome! I don’t believe I’ve truly read something like this before. So good to discover another person with a few unique thoughts on this topic. Seriously.. many thanks for starting this up. This web site is something that’s needed on the web, someone with a little originality.

  38. Aw, this was an incredibly nice post. Taking a few minutes and actual effort to create a good article… but what can I say… I procrastinate a lot and never seem to get anything done.

  39. May I simply just say what a comfort to find somebody that actually knows what they’re talking about on the net. You actually understand how to bring a problem to light and make it important. A lot more people really need to look at this and understand this side of the story. I was surprised that you aren’t more popular since you most certainly possess the gift.

  40. Can I just say what a comfort to uncover someone who truly knows what they’re discussing on the net. You definitely understand how to bring a problem to light and make it important. A lot more people should look at this and understand this side of your story. I can’t believe you’re not more popular because you most certainly possess the gift.

  41. Next time I read a blog, I hope that it does not disappoint me just as much as this particular one. After all, I know it was my choice to read through, however I really thought you’d have something helpful to talk about. All I hear is a bunch of complaining about something that you could possibly fix if you were not too busy looking for attention.

  42. You have made some really good points there. I looked on the internet to learn more about the issue and found most people will go along with your views on this web site.

  43. Having read this I thought it was extremely enlightening. I appreciate you taking the time and energy to put this information together. I once again find myself spending way too much time both reading and leaving comments. But so what, it was still worthwhile.

  44. You are so interesting! I don’t think I’ve read through a single thing like that before. So good to find another person with a few original thoughts on this issue. Really.. thank you for starting this up. This site is one thing that’s needed on the internet, someone with some originality.

  45. I’m impressed, I have to admit. Seldom do I come across a blog that’s both educative and amusing, and without a doubt, you’ve hit the nail on the head. The issue is something which too few folks are speaking intelligently about. I’m very happy I stumbled across this in my search for something relating to this.

  46. When I initially left a comment I appear to have clicked on the -Notify me when new comments are added- checkbox and now every time a comment is added I recieve four emails with the exact same comment. There has to be a means you are able to remove me from that service? Many thanks.

  47. Greetings, I do think your blog may be having browser compatibility problems. When I take a look at your site in Safari, it looks fine but when opening in I.E., it has some overlapping issues. I simply wanted to provide you with a quick heads up! Other than that, excellent site!

  48. Hi, I do think this is a great web site. I stumbledupon it 😉 I’m going to revisit yet again since i have book-marked it. Money and freedom is the best way to change, may you be rich and continue to help other people.

  49. It’s hard to come by educated people on this topic, however, you seem like you know what you’re talking about! Thanks

  50. After I initially left a comment I seem to have clicked the -Notify me when new comments are added- checkbox and from now on every time a comment is added I recieve 4 emails with the exact same comment. Is there an easy method you can remove me from that service? Thanks.

  51. Howdy! This post couldn’t be written much better! Reading through this article reminds me of my previous roommate! He continually kept preaching about this. I am going to send this article to him. Pretty sure he’ll have a good read. Thank you for sharing!

  52. I must thank you for the efforts you’ve put in penning this website. I am hoping to view the same high-grade content by you in the future as well. In truth, your creative writing abilities has encouraged me to get my own, personal site now 😉

  53. Right here is the right website for anyone who wishes to understand this topic. You realize a whole lot its almost tough to argue with you (not that I actually will need to…HaHa). You definitely put a brand new spin on a subject that’s been discussed for decades. Wonderful stuff, just great.

  54. Right here is the perfect blog for anyone who hopes to understand this topic. You realize a whole lot its almost tough to argue with you (not that I really will need to…HaHa). You certainly put a brand new spin on a topic that’s been written about for a long time. Wonderful stuff, just wonderful.

  55. I blog often and I seriously thank you for your information. Your article has truly peaked my interest. I am going to bookmark your blog and keep checking for new information about once a week. I subscribed to your RSS feed too.

  56. Hi there! I just wish to give you a big thumbs up for your excellent information you have right here on this post. I’ll be returning to your blog for more soon.

  57. An interesting discussion is definitely worth comment. I believe that you ought to write more about this subject matter, it may not be a taboo subject but generally people don’t discuss these subjects. To the next! Cheers!

  58. I blog quite often and I genuinely thank you for your information. The article has really peaked my interest. I will bookmark your blog and keep checking for new information about once a week. I subscribed to your RSS feed as well.

  59. Hi there! This post couldn’t be written much better! Looking through this post reminds me of my previous roommate! He continually kept talking about this. I am going to send this article to him. Fairly certain he will have a good read. Thanks for sharing!

  60. After I originally left a comment I appear to have clicked the -Notify me when new comments are added- checkbox and now each time a comment is added I recieve four emails with the exact same comment. There has to be a way you are able to remove me from that service? Appreciate it.

  61. I seriously love your website.. Excellent colors & theme. Did you build this amazing site yourself? Please reply back as I’m wanting to create my own personal site and would like to learn where you got this from or exactly what the theme is called. Many thanks.

  62. An intriguing discussion is worth comment. I do think that you ought to write more on this subject, it may not be a taboo matter but generally folks don’t talk about such topics. To the next! All the best.

  63. An intriguing discussion is definitely worth comment. I believe that you ought to publish more on this issue, it may not be a taboo subject but generally folks don’t discuss such issues. To the next! Cheers!

  64. This is the perfect web site for anyone who would like to understand this topic. You know a whole lot its almost hard to argue with you (not that I personally would want to…HaHa). You certainly put a brand new spin on a subject that has been discussed for years. Great stuff, just wonderful.

  65. I really love your site.. Excellent colors & theme. Did you develop this site yourself? Please reply back as I’m trying to create my own site and would love to find out where you got this from or what the theme is named. Thanks!

  66. I’m amazed, I must say. Seldom do I come across a blog that’s equally educative and interesting, and let me tell you, you’ve hit the nail on the head. The issue is something that too few folks are speaking intelligently about. I’m very happy that I found this during my hunt for something concerning this.

  67. I would like to thank you for the efforts you’ve put in writing this site. I’m hoping to see the same high-grade blog posts by you in the future as well. In fact, your creative writing abilities has inspired me to get my own, personal blog now 😉

  68. I’m pretty pleased to find this page. I wanted to thank you for ones time just for this fantastic read!! I definitely really liked every bit of it and I have you book marked to see new things in your blog.

  69. I blog quite often and I truly appreciate your content. Your article has really peaked my interest. I will take a note of your blog and keep checking for new information about once a week. I subscribed to your RSS feed too.

  70. I blog quite often and I seriously appreciate your content. This article has really peaked my interest. I am going to take a note of your website and keep checking for new details about once a week. I opted in for your Feed as well.

  71. I’m impressed, I must say. Rarely do I encounter a blog that’s both equally educative and entertaining, and let me tell you, you have hit the nail on the head. The issue is something that not enough people are speaking intelligently about. I’m very happy that I stumbled across this in my search for something relating to this.

  72. I’m excited to uncover this page. I want to to thank you for your time for this fantastic read!! I definitely really liked every bit of it and i also have you book-marked to look at new things in your blog.

  73. After looking over a few of the blog articles on your website, I honestly like your way of blogging. I saved it to my bookmark website list and will be checking back in the near future. Take a look at my web site too and let me know how you feel.

  74. I’m amazed, I have to admit. Rarely do I come across a blog that’s both equally educative and entertaining, and let me tell you, you’ve hit the nail on the head. The issue is something not enough people are speaking intelligently about. I’m very happy I stumbled across this in my search for something relating to this.

  75. I must thank you for the efforts you have put in penning this site. I really hope to view the same high-grade content from you in the future as well. In truth, your creative writing abilities has inspired me to get my own, personal site now 😉

  76. Good day! I could have sworn I’ve visited this web site before but after going through some of the posts I realized it’s new to me. Anyhow, I’m definitely happy I came across it and I’ll be book-marking it and checking back frequently.

  77. A motivating discussion is worth comment. There’s no doubt that that you ought to write more on this topic, it may not be a taboo subject but usually people don’t talk about such issues. To the next! Kind regards!

  78. Everything is very open with a clear description of the issues. It was truly informative. Your website is extremely helpful. Many thanks for sharing.

  79. When I initially commented I seem to have clicked the -Notify me when new comments are added- checkbox and from now on each time a comment is added I recieve 4 emails with the same comment. There has to be an easy method you can remove me from that service? Kudos.

  80. Aw, this was an extremely nice post. Finding the time and actual effort to make a top notch article… but what can I say… I put things off a whole lot and never manage to get nearly anything done.

  81. Hi, I do think this is an excellent site. I stumbledupon it 😉 I will revisit yet again since I book marked it. Money and freedom is the best way to change, may you be rich and continue to help others.

  82. Hi, I do believe this is a great website. I stumbledupon it 😉 I’m going to revisit once again since i have book marked it. Money and freedom is the best way to change, may you be rich and continue to help others.

  83. Oh my goodness! Impressive article dude! Many thanks, However I am encountering difficulties with your RSS. I don’t understand why I cannot subscribe to it. Is there anybody getting similar RSS problems? Anybody who knows the answer can you kindly respond? Thanx!!

  84. The very next time I read a blog, Hopefully it does not fail me just as much as this one. After all, Yes, it was my choice to read, however I truly believed you would probably have something helpful to say. All I hear is a bunch of complaining about something that you could possibly fix if you were not too busy searching for attention.

  85. Your style is so unique in comparison to other folks I have read stuff from. Thanks for posting when you have the opportunity, Guess I’ll just bookmark this site.

  86. I seriously love your website.. Excellent colors & theme. Did you build this site yourself? Please reply back as I’m attempting to create my very own blog and would love to find out where you got this from or just what the theme is named. Appreciate it!

  87. Hi there! I could have sworn I’ve visited your blog before but after browsing through a few of the posts I realized it’s new to me. Anyhow, I’m certainly pleased I discovered it and I’ll be book-marking it and checking back often.

  88. Hello there! This blog post could not be written any better! Going through this article reminds me of my previous roommate! He constantly kept preaching about this. I am going to forward this article to him. Pretty sure he will have a great read. Thank you for sharing!

  89. When I initially commented I seem to have clicked on the -Notify me when new comments are added- checkbox and from now on every time a comment is added I get four emails with the exact same comment. There has to be an easy method you can remove me from that service? Cheers.

  90. Hi there! Do you know if they make any plugins to assist with Search Engine Optimization? I’m trying to get my blog to rank for some targeted keywords but
    I’m not seeing very good success. If you know of any please share.
    Appreciate it! I saw similar blog here: COD

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.

Previous Story

Nigerian-British Playwright tackles Immigration, Deportations and the Windrush Scandal, in Ilé La W

Next Story

“It don’t change nothin’”: The Return of Queen Sugar

Latest from Blog

A virgin’s quest

A Short Story by Bunmi Fatoye-Matory Friday, June 28, 2024.   Somewhere in Rọ́lákẹ́’s childhood, she learned about Mercedes Benz, but not