The Delany Sisters Have Their Say

From the book jacket:
"When you get real old, honey, says Bessy Delany, "you lay it all on the table. There's an old saying: only little children and old folks tell the truth." In "Having Our Say" Bessie, age 101, and her sister Sadie, age 103, do just that- and then some. Filled with humorous and poignant anecdotes, this inspiring dual memoir offers a rare glimpse of the birth of black freedom- and the rise of the black middle class- in America.
Sadie and Bessie Delany recall growing up with eight other siblings in turn-of-the century North Carolina: their father was born in slavery, yet became the nation's first elected black Episcopal bishop; their mother could have "passed" for white but chose not to.
With irrepressible pluck, the sisters confronted the first days of Jim Crow and legal segregation, and took part in the World War 1 era migration North, rising to professional prominence during the heyday of Harlem...
Each has triumphed in her own way: Bess with feistiness and Sadie with quiet determination. Though warmly skeptical of each other's style, they remain devoted. "She may be one hundred and one years old," comments Sadie, "but she's still my little sister."


I enjoyed these books very much last week. These spunky ladies lived through a lot and have a fascinating history to tell. Each chapter alternates with the perspective of one of the two sisters. The way the book is written, the reader can get a good feeling on the personality of these women. And each of them had a LOT of personality!

The book has been made into a play for Broadway and these women have entertained their share of American elite. But their national fame did not come until they passed the "100" mark, so I'm sure they weren't too corrupted by their sudden fame!

The second book, "On My Own at 107" details the first year of Sadie's life after the death of Bessie. I especially appreciated the gentle, reflective tone of this book and the strength this sister had in deciding to live her life with joy after so great a loss.

I heartily recommend these books for a great look into American history and a fascinating American family!