Kenneth Harper gazed slowly around his office. A smile of satisfaction wreathed his face, reflecting his inward contentment. He felt like a runner who sees ahead of him, the coveted goal towards which he has been straining through many gruelling miles. Kenneth was tired but he gave no thought to his weariness. Two weeks of hard work, countless annoyances, seemingly infinite delays -– all were now forgotten in the warm glow which pervaded his being. He, Kenneth B. Harper, M.D., was now ready to receive the stream of patients he felt sure was coming.
The Fire in the Flint ~ by Walter Francis White, 1924 (this edition 2021), literary fiction, 184 pages
Although he is generally recognized for his accomplishments as the longtime leader of the NAACP, Walter Francis White also wrote several novels during the Harlem Renaissance. Praised by W. E. B. Du Bois and by Konrad Bercovici, The Fire in the Flint remains an invaluable testament to the power of fiction to address political matters.
Dr. Kenneth Harper finds it difficult to overcome the deep inequities of life in the American South. Born and raised in Georgia, he returns to his hometown following his graduation from medical school and service in the First World War. Determined to open a clinic for his friends and neighbors, he avoids confrontation with white townspeople and focuses on the task at hand. Soon, however, he encounters opposition from neighbors who regard his success and intelligence as a threat to their power. Eventually, Harper is forced to lay his life on the line by opposing the Ku Klux Klan.
The Fire in the Flint is grounded in truth and moral decency. Praised by Nobel Laureate Sinclair Lewis upon publication, White’s novel is a largely forgotten masterpiece of the Harlem Renaissance, perhaps the finest decade for art in the history of American culture. This edition is a classic of African American literature reimagined for modern readers.
This book's perfect for Black History Month.
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