Cane River

Cane River follows four generations of African-American women beginning with a slave owned by a Creole family on a Louisiana plantation. Lalita Tademy chronicles their journey from slavery through the Civil War, emancipation, Jim Crow, and the pre-Civil Rights South. Elisabeth carries both a proud legacy and the burden of bondage. Her youngest daughter Suzette is the first to experience both the promise and heartbreak of freedom. Suzette's daughter Philomene, driven by tragedy, works to reunite her family and achieve economic independence. Emily, Philomene's daughter, fights to secure her children's future and preserve their dignity. Through meticulously researched narrative, the book presents a detailed portrait of rural Louisiana and one family's resilience across generations, offering a perspective on American history rarely seen in such personal detail.