Shara Moon Author of Historical Fiction

**CONTAINS SPOILERS**

Mrs. Elizabeth “Lizzie” McDuffie was an extraordinary woman, and it is evident from all the letters, correspondences, and articles written about her. Much of my research materials came from the Atlanta University Center Robert W. Woodruff Library archives, which offered me an intimate look into her life and story.

Although a large part of her legacy was her activism, I was fortunate enough to read her unfinished memoir and gain a better insight into the multifaceted woman she truly was. Because this book is meant to be a work of fiction, I took a few creative liberties with the timeline of events for the purposes of this story. While all the letters and notes featured throughout are actual correspondences written to Lizzie, I did alter the author of the final letter for dramatic impact. Though Margaret Mitchell, the notable author of Gone with the Wind, had written to Mrs. McDuffie numerous times, that letter encouraging Lizzie to write her memoir was actually written by Augusta Legg Barton.

The only other letter fabricated for dramatic purposes was the one Lizzie reads to Mac from the grieving mother who lost her son in the First World War and pleads for their assistance in gaining an audience with the president. Although the letter is fake, the grieving mother’s situation was real and very common at that time. Admittedly, it is also a nod to my next novel about the African American Gold Star mothers and widows who protested the segregation of the U.S.- sponsored pilgrimage to France to honor their loved ones who died in the war and were buried overseas.

In crafting this work of fiction, I tried to retain the essence of Mrs. McDuffie’s unique life. However, it’s important to note several elements within the story that have been fictionalized or embellished for creative purposes. Like the meeting with FDR’s son Franklin Jr. in April 1966. Although their meeting did take place, I embellished his motive, using his political ambitions to gain an endorsement from Lizzie. Similarly, her friendship with Kathuran “Kathy” Brooks, a fellow maid referenced in her memoir, was also embellished to add depth to Lizzie’s narrative and character growth.

Lizzie’s imagined encounters with Louise Little, the mother of Malcolm X, and young Thurgood Marshall were dramatized to explore the social and cultural dynamics of these famed activists. Even her recurring encounters with the fictionalized reporter Albert Jackson were written to further examine the complexity of political beliefs, social responsibilities, and Lizzie’s internal conflict. Additionally, the Allied Negro Papers referenced in this story is a fictional journal inspired by the real- life Associated Negro Press (ANP), a popular media source for African American news during that time. It was only after the writing of this book that I learned about James Albert “Billboard” Jackson, a reporter for the ANP. Any resemblance to the fictional Albert Jackson in this narrative is completely coincidental.

Further, there has been contradictory information regarding whether a television set was first made available in the White House during President Hoover’s term (1931) or FDR’s (1939). For the purposes of this story, I featured one early in FDR’s second term in office (1937). While Irvin McDuffie’s drinking problem has been referenced in several historical reports, his physical attack in this story, and any incidents related to his nervous breakdown and subsequent retirement, were purely from my imagination. Although Eleanor Roosevelt took exception to his drinking and it was reported that she wanted to dismiss him from his position, FDR remained committed to his valet. The resulting conflict featured in the story because of his drinking should not be taken as historical fact.

Despite Mac’s personal struggles, Lizzie also remained devoted to her husband. She was a true unsung hero, and together they spearheaded a lot of policies for the civil rights movement. Although her work in and out of the White House may be overshadowed by many who came before and after her, she was a true activist of her time and her small victories managed to change thousands of lives. She is a figure still worth exploring and at the time of this writing, I’m excited to mention that the Atlanta University Center has digitized the McDuffie collection and made it available online on their website.

Lastly, it is important to note that the conflict between Lizzie and FDR in this story over the signing of the anti- lynching bill was also exaggerated. Although lynchings were a controversial topic during his presidency, Lizzie barely makes any mention of them in her memoir. I used this subject matter not only as a source of conflict between Lizzie and President Roosevelt but also to shed light on the longest yet most disregarded civil rights issue America has faced. Reportedly, attempts to pass an anti- lynching law date back to 1900 with scores of activists, scholars, politicians, and organizations working diligently for decades to get this violent act of terror recognized as a federal hate crime.

On March 29, 2022, the Emmett Till Antilynching Act was signed into law.

It took 122 years.