Yonder Come Day: Exploring the Collective Witness of the Formerly Enslaved

As our nation has experienced a renewal of reckoning with the reality of slavery in our past and the continued struggle for equality and liberation in the present, many previously untold stories have come to light. But not every story. Some histories remain shrouded, waiting for someone to uncover them and make them known. Incredibly, some of them have been hiding in plain sight for decades.

Yonder Come Day brings these hidden histories into the light in an unconventional yet powerful way. Drawing from the recorded interviews of more than 3,000 formerly enslaved people from across the South collected in the 1930s, Jasmine L. Holmes creates a compelling ＂collective memoir＂ unlike anything you’ve read. The story follows Little One, a composite character who guides the modern-day reader through the experience of slavery. As she grows from Little Bit to Lonely One to Lovely One to Grandmama, she exposes both harsh truths and an irrepressible spirit, helping us better understand the love, resilience, and faithfulness necessary to survive the evils of our nation’s original sin.

Teachers, historians, and anyone doing the work of reconciliation will find that Yonder Come Day is the vital resource they didn’t even know they were missing.

Jasmine L. Holmes is a passionate writer and educator who celebrates Black stories through her books, including Carved in Ebony, Mother to Son, and Crowned with Glory. As a historian and teacher, Jasmine shares her expertise with lifelong learners and educators alike, inspiring them to expand their understanding of history and its impact on our society. Alongside her husband and three sons, Jasmine calls Jackson, Mississippi, home. Learn more at JasmineLHolmes.com and connect with her on Instagram @JasmineLHolmes.