Last in a Long Line of Rebels by Lisa Lewis Tyre

Author:Lisa Lewis Tyre
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Penguin Young Readers Group
Published: 2015-09-14T04:00:00+00:00

After Mr. Vinter left, I felt sick to my stomach. I sat on the back stoop and stared at the roof of Mama’s studio. It was one thing to say we had “servants’ quarters.” That made it sound like the people working here were maids or something, but the truth was they weren’t. They were slaves. Real people, owned by my ancestors, had to work here and live out in that tiny building. Mrs. Hall said she wished walls could talk, but I was beginning to be glad they couldn’t.

Daddy drove into the driveway and, a few minutes later, came walking around the back of the house.

“Where’s your mama?”

“Still shopping with Bertie.”

He sat down next to me. “What’s going on?”

“Nothing,” I lied. I stared down at my tennis shoes. I wasn’t one to bawl, but suddenly it felt like I might start.

“C’mon,” Dad said. “I can always tell when something’s bothering you.”

“Daddy, I can’t believe our family used to own slaves.”

I was beginning to think he wasn’t going to answer, when he said softly, “Yeah, it’s terrible. I remember finding out about it when I was about your age.”

“How did you stand it? I don’t want to even look at Mama’s studio now that Mr. Vinter said it was slave quarters! Can’t we get rid of it?”

“No, Lou. Those quarters were part of the original property, back when our family owned a large swath of town. When we sold the land, my grandfather had to take it apart, board by board, and rebuild it behind our house.”

“But why would he do that?”

Daddy stared off into the distance. “I’ll tell you what he told me: It’s important that we never forget our history and the awful things that man is capable of.”

“Then why didn’t you ever tell me?”

“It’s complicated, Lou. Remember a few years ago when you did that Abraham Lincoln project for school and learned about how Tennessee allowed slavery? You were so upset. I sure didn’t want to add to it by telling you about our own family’s involvement.”

“Daddy, that was years ago! There have been plenty of times since then you could have told me. It’s my family. I should know the truth about it.”

“You’re right. But the truth isn’t very pretty, is it?”

“No.” I shivered in the heat. “And it makes me feel so bad. Like if Isaac knew, he wouldn’t like us anymore.”

“I get that—but Isaac knows that you have a heart as good as anybody’s in this world. You should talk to him about it. I think you’ll find that he wouldn’t judge you for something your ancestors did.”

At the mention of my ancestors, I made a decision. “Daddy, there’s something else. I know about the county trying to take the house. I know we might lose it.” I bit my lip to stop it from quivering. Even though I was about to cry, it felt good to finally spit it out.

“I’m sorry you had to find out, Lou. The last thing I want is for you to be worried about grown-up stuff at your age.

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