Sowing and Reaping
(1876) is a novel by Frances Ellen Watkins Harper. One of the first novels published by an African American woman,
is a story of friendship, romance, and tragedy that advocates for temperance nationwide. Originally published in serial format in the
Christian Recorder
, an important and historical periodical connected to the African Methodist Episcopal Church,
was rediscovered in the late twentieth century and has since been recognized as a groundbreaking work of fiction by the first African American woman to publish a novel.
Discussing the recent closure of John Andrews' saloon, Paul Clifford and John Anderson reveal the starkly opposing natures which collide within their friendship. Although both consider themselves businessmen, Paul-whose father died young from alcoholism-always places morality ahead of opportunity while John, a pragmatist at heart, places his personal interests ahead of everything. Scolding his friend for not capitalizing on the bankruptcy of a local man, John presages the tragic events to come. As Paul falls in love with Belle through their mutual advocacy of temperance, John tries his hand as a saloon owner himself, indulging in and selling alcohol while turning a blind eye to his son's increasing dependence on drinking. Written in straightforward prose,
is a politically conscious novel concerned with the cause of temperance in a time when families and communities were frequently torn apart by alcoholism.
With a beautifully designed cover and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of Frances Ellen Watkins Harper's
is a classic of African American literature reimagined for modern readers.