Shadows on Society Hill
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Facts
Edit
- Author: Evelyn Coleman
- Cover Illustrator: Jean-Paul Tibbles
- First Published: February 20, 2007
- Setting: Winter of 1866; Philadelphia
- In relation to Addy's books: After the events of Addy's Summer Place
CharactersEdit
From the Central SeriesEdit
- Addy Walker
- Ben Walker
- Ruth Walker
- Sam Walker
- Esther Walker
- M'dear
- Mr. and Mrs. Golden
- Mrs. Ford (Only Mentioned)
- Uncle Solomon (Only Mentioned)
- Auntie Lula (Only Mentioned)
- Master Stevens (Only Mentioned)
Only In Shadows on Society HillEdit
- Albert Radisson
- Mr. Gunter
- Mrs. Radisson
- Miss Elizabeth
- Miss Mary Tucker
- Frank Radisson (Only Mentioned)
- Miles Roberts (Only Mentioned)
Chapter By Chapter SummaryEdit
Chapter 1: A Daring RescueEdit
The book starts out with Addy seeing an man crossing the street. A horse breaks away from his carriage and runs towards the man. Addy yells at the man to get out of the way, but he doesn't appear to hear her. She runs towards him, calling her Poppa, who is repairing the overhang of a building close by. Addy leaps at the man, and knocks him out of the way, with the horse passing very close to them. Poppa now catches up to Addy after barreling down the ladder and asks if she is alright and what happened. The man states that Addy saved his life. A crowd has gathered, and one woman accuses Addy of knocking down the man. Addy quickly defends her actions, saying the bridle broke, and she hadn't meant to hurt the man. The man quickly agrees, frowns at the woman, and disperses the crowd.
The man explains he keeps cotton in his ears because the cole hurts his eardrums. He hadn't heard the horse, or Addy, and thanks her profusely. Poppa continually asks Addy is she is alright, to which she replies yes. Poppa says he's glad the gentleman wasn't hurt, and they turn to walk away. But the man offers Addy a generous reward for $10. Addy is very tempted to take the money, because $10 could pay for an entire year of schooling at the Institute for Colored Youth, and Poppa hasn't had continuous work for about four months. But, she turns down the offer respectfully. The man protests, yet Poppa is firm, and he grabs his tools from the overhang and says to Addy that they have to get home. the man looks at the overhang and asks Poppa if he did the work, which he did.
The man asks how he learned, and if he works for a certain company. In a few minutes, Poppa has a job working for a the man, Albert Radisson. Mr. Radisson wants Poppa to do the overhanging on his houses. Poppa is to report on Monday morning - bright and early. As the man walks away, Poppa expresses how happy he was that Addy had decided to come with him, and thanks her. Addy smiles and laments on how well the year 1866 is turning out, with her family finally together and the war over.
Chapter 2: SnowfallEdit
The chapter starts out with a snowfall, in which Addy comments on "how quickly 'good' disappears." She ponders how when Poppa got the job, Mrs. Ford closes the dress shop, and the Walkers need to find a new home. Addy wishes that Auntie Lula and Uncle Solomon were home, and gives a little history of them. As Addy walks into the boarding house, she finds Momma crying with Poppa. When Addy asks what's wrong, Poppa says they're moving. At first, Addy starts worrying, but she sees her parents smiling. Poppa announces that they are moving to Society Hill, to live in the servants' house behind Mr. Radisson's. Addy, Momma, and Poppa are all very excited, as this is the nicest they've lived in, on Society Hill, where the richer people live.
Poppa says that Mr. Radisson's uncle left the house to Mr. Radisson when he passed away. Mr. Radisson let the servants go, and closed up the house. The servants apparently had two girls like the Walkers, and everything was set up already. Addy and Esther are going to have a room all to themselves. Addy picks up Esther and starts swinging her around in pure excitement. When Sam comes home, Addy riddles him about their room. When Sam gives in and Addy tells him about the new house, he can barely believe it. Addy and Esther start dancing around, and Sam quickly joins in. When Esther calls for Momma and Poppa, they, to Addy's shock, start dancing as well.
Sunday evening the Walker's say a tearful good-bye to the Golden's, who run the boarding house where they live. Addy specifically says good-by to M'dear, Mrs. Golden's mother. As they approached Society Hill, everything started looking cleaner and nicer. Addy lingers to examine dresses in a shop, when a policeman stops the family. The policeman accuses them of stealing these things, despite the polite explanations of Sam and Poppa. When Poppa reaches into his pocket to take out Mr. Radisson's card with his address on it, the policeman hits his hand really hard, though Poppa ignores it. The policeman finally lets them continue, but promises that he'll be watching them. The family continues walking, slightly shaken and discouraged.
Chapter 3: Uncle Solomon's ProtectionEdit
Chapter 4: Troubling AnswersEdit
Chapter 5: A Cold WelcomeEdit
Chapter 6: The Mystery WomanEdit
Chapter 7: The Black SwanEdit
Chapter 8: A Strange RiddleEdit
Chapter 9: ConfusionEdit
Chapter 10: BeautifulEdit
Chapter 11: A Terrible AccusationEdit
Chapter 12: From Bad to WorseEdit
Chapter 13: The Riddle DeepensEdit
Chapter 14: CaughtEdit
Chapter 15: The Tale Is ToldEdit
Looking BackEdit
Discusses the Reconstruction period after the Civil War. Topics include:
- The rights African Americans received after the Civil War.
- Famous abolitionists and spies, including Harriet Tubman and Frederick Douglass, who served during the war.
- How Mary Elizabeth Bowser used her photographic memory to help the Union, and the importance for spies to keep their identities a secret.
- The benefits and promises of Recontruction, including the ban of slavery and allowing Black men to vote, and why Reconstruction soured fast.
- How African Americans were affected during Reconstruction.
- Who the Ku Klux Klan were, who they hated, and what they would do to their victims.
- The segregation of the North, and the pressures felt by the North when more immigrants and newly freed slaves began to arrive.
- How some light skinned Blacks could 'pass' as White, including the benefits of passing and the sacrifices they must take in order to pass permanently.
- The Civil Rights Movement, which claimed the promises of equal rights that were made in the 1860s.
