Introduction

Mildred D. Taylor's novel Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry examines the hardships and struggles of the Logans, a black family living in rural Mississippi during the early 1930s. It is Taylor's second account of the Logans, whom she follows in six other books, including a prequel, a sequel, and several novellas, all written for a child and/or young adult audience. Based on Taylor's father's experiences growing up, the books reflect some of the South's most troubling history, when Jim Crow laws ruled and civil rights were not yet within reach. Taylor uses her family's past as a lens through which to explore the legacy of the American South, deftly making a case for its modern relevance in the process.

Taylor grew up listening to her...