BlackTie WhiteTie (2016)

Black Tie White Tie (extrapolated themes taken from the book with the same title) focuses on three significant historical methodologies: oral history, public documents, and material culture. Oral histories, substantiated by primary sources such as public documents, placed the Elijah Reed (central character) story into historical context. Interwoven with oral history and material culture, this monograph dispels the myth of the discontinuity of the African American family during slavery. This story examines the evolution of a black family, through tragedies and triumphs, during and after slavery. Analyzed with other studies on the black family, this story provides a fresh insight into the history of the black family.