This was an incredibly fascinating book I didn't want to put down! It was amazing learning about these women, some who endured against seemingly impossible odds, to teach, learn to read, even travel the world and spread the gospel! I was blown away by their bravery in speaking out against racism, some during a time when they were considered the lowest of society. Some gave speeches, wrote books, taught many and all influenced generations to come. I liked how the author compared their experiences to hers and how she felt when she discovered their stories, many of whom she didn't know herself, and what she's learned from them. She also chose women who had a strong faith in God and weren't just activists but, first and foremost, Christians. I liked the little bios, along with quotes from their works or speeches and the influence they had. I felt like I got a pretty good understanding of what made them tick, along with an inspiring message to follow where God leads and know He can use anyone in any circumstance. I highly recommend this book for everyone, not just women or women of color. There's much everyone can learn from them.

I received this book free from JustRead Tours. I was not compensated for this review. All opinions are my own.

Carved in Ebony is a homage to Black women who were pioneers in Faith not only in the US but globally. Most, if not all, of these strong-willed and strong-minded women, are not other unknown or have been forgotten.

Holmes briefly outlines the lives and the contributions made by each woman. Each historical piece is written in a way that insights the desire to learn more about the women within the pages and those that are not. Admittedly, I had never heard of any of them but after reading this book, I plan on reading more.

Voluntarily reviewed after receiving a free copy courtesy of NetGalley, the Publisher, and the author, Jasmine L. Holmes.

In Carved in Ebony, Jasmine L. Holmes writes of women who inspire her, surprise her, challenge her - and can do the same for us. These are Black women who not only stood up for their Christian faith, but stood against hypocrisy in America - and in the church - no matter the potential danger and personal costs.

Drawing on speeches, essays, and letters, the author pulls each woman's story out of the historical record and gives us a glimpse of their personality and their accomplishments while calling their weaknesses out as well.

Written in a personable style, Holmes shares her journey of research and discovery taken to write this work of non-fiction that sheds light on ten historical Black women of faith that have much to inspire and teach us today. Highly recommended.

This review refers to a copy finished paperback I voluntarily received from the publisher. A positive review was not required and all opinions expressed are my own.

It's a universal truth that the roles and contributions of women throughout US history have largely gone undocumented and unrecognized. Thankfully Jasmine L. Holmes is correcting this oversight for ten Black American women who lived during a very contentious time. In Carved in Ebony, Ms. Holmes shares biographical sketches for ten women of the antebellum/postbellum period (approximately 1861-1905).

From the author, "I am a woman who is both Black and American. And I stand in a long line of women who balanced those aspects of their identity with dignity and significance. I am proud to stand as the recipient of their legacies - to learn from their incredible stories." This volume includes much for all to learn.

For each woman featured, Ms. Holmes shares a summary of her life, the obstacles she overcame, her accomplishments, and at least one quote. The author also intertwines her own personal reflections into each profile, a mini personal essay of sorts. I'm in awe of the courage and determination of these women to persevere in the face of great challenges I'll never experience as a 21st century white woman. Their achievements, while unknown to many, continue to enrich our lives to present times and beyond.

The author, a former teacher, also created a young readers edition. It would be a meaningful experience to 'buddy read' with young people to learn about these outstanding women of faith.

Thank you to Bethany House Publishers and the author for the review copy of this important book; all opinions are my own.

“Carved in Ebony,” written by Jasmine L. Holmes and published by Bethany House, is part history book, part memoir, and all heart. It chronicles Jasmine’s own deep dive into discovering the stories of ten historical black Christian women and the significant and varied ways they shaped the landscape of America for so many. A high school history teacher by vocation, Jasmine narrates the well-researched stories of these women in ways that are informative, easy to follow, and inspiring. Jasmine infuses these short historical biographies with pieces of her own story growing up as a black woman in a predominantly white evangelical culture, sharing why she chose to research and write about these particular women and the ways their stories personally impacted her.
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I appreciated the balance of history, theology, and personal anecdotes in this book. I learned a lot, not only about the women featured, but about American history as a whole. As a white woman, I was encouraged by these black women’s stories, and the ways they loved and served Jesus and those around them even in times of adversity. Through caring for orphans, fighting for their constitutional rights, or even the writing of novels, each of these women took steps to better themselves and the world around them. There is much we can all learn from the stories of their lives. I do wish there were some women from other countries featured, as the focus of the book’s focus is not specifically on American women, but black women as a whole, and how they are each created in the image of God.
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I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the author. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.
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Did you read missionary books when you were younger? I loved picking them up from our church library. Carved in Ebony by Jasmine Holmes brought those to mind in a way.

But Holmes’s research and insight into these ten Black women’s lives is so much more. The author not only introduces readers to these women, she challenges us while sharing how she connected with each of them. You can feel her excitement when she shares of discovering something new while researching.

None of us is perfect, but God is faithful. We can persevere in the hard times and live our lives boldly, shining God’s light no matter our mistakes, our social status, or how the world around us feels like it’s falling apart. This is what Holmes gives readers in her book.

Disclosure statement: I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book and was not required to write a positive review. All opinions are my own.

Carved in Ebony is a beautiful gift to the church, and I'm better for having read it. The book is well researched (the references at the end are a treasure trove!) and beautifully written. I've already added a physical copy to my shelf as I know this is a resource I'll return to again and again. I'd definitely recommend this book to anyone of faith.

Jasmine introduces us to 10 black women with Christian faith sharing the Gospel who with courage navigated the complexities of life in America and abroad such as Africa and India. The accounts also give us the intersections of faith, gender education, privilege/opportunity and race also.

10 notable black women who have been historically overlooked, though they were forerunners and critically part of American history. These are women filled with conviction and duty who made significant difference in changing lives, their community, the legal system and wider society.

The women have inspired me and it’s refreshing to read history not filled with enslavement and focusing on historical white achievement only. But this version of uncovered factual history.

From a U.K. based West Indian British upbringing I have been enlightened more.

Jasmine Holmes really brought alive the lives of some of the ignored heroes of history in this book. If you enjoy history, I think you will enjoy this book. If you want to learn more about women in history, you will enjoy this book. And if you want to learn more about public figures in the Black community, you will enjoy this book. I really enjoy this book.

“Imagine what ten-year-old Jasmine would have felt knowing that at the end of the nineteenth century, Frances Ellen Watkins Harper was one of the most renowned public figures of the Black community, only to realize here, at the beginning of the twenty-first, that little Black girls all over America did not even know her name.” Not only “little Black girls”, but I think ALL girls can really learn from each one of the women in this book. I know I would have liked to have learned more about them when I was in school.

And not only did Jasmine choose to highlight women, but women who achieved a lot outside of the home. “A common trend with the women I’ve chosen to profile in this book is their commitment to a cause outside of marriage. Many of them were widows, some never married, some were mothers of children who died in infancy, others raised only one child. This selection process was not by design, but in a Christian subculture that tends to prize marriage and children as the foremost ways of bringing glory to God and pursuing Christian service as a woman, these ten women were able to have fruitful lives of active service for God’s glory without settling down.”

And praise God for Jasmine highlighting the FACT that no matter what skin tone you have, you are made in God’s image. “Many thinks, because your skins are tinged with a sable hue, that you are an inferior race of beings; but God does not consider you as such. He hath formed and fashioned you in his own glorious image, and hath bestowed upon you reason and strong powers of intellect. He hath made you to have dominion over the beasts of the field, the fowls of the air, and the fish of the sea. He has crowned you with glory and honor; hath made you but a little lower than the angels; and, according to the Constitution of these United States, he hath made all men free and equal.”

Just a word of caution if you are a very sensitive and conservative reader…”I did not choose these women because they passed my every theological test. I could not ask them every faith-based question I wanted answered, and they did not write exhaustive commentaries that I can check next to Scripture. But from what I could tell, they lived faithful— though imperfect— lives of service to Jesus, with lessons I was so eager and grateful to mine. The more you sit with them, the more you might find areas of disagreement or imperfection— just as you might with any Christian living today— but their testimonies are overwhelmingly encouraging.”

And in Jasmine’s own words, “I write this book not as an intellectual or a member of the academy, but as a storyteller . My interest in history— from the historical novels I devoured as a child to the day job I had for nine years teaching history to middle schoolers— has always flowed from my love of story. And I am enraptured by the story that God weaves through the people he chooses to do his work here on earth.

I want to offer a different perspective, though. What if, instead of putting Uncle Sam in a cape and putting Lady Liberty on a pedestal, we told the story of America as the story of God’s faithfulness— and not our own? What if we took a note from the people of Israel, and every time we stood on the precipice of a defining cultural moment, we reminded ourselves of God’s providential hand protecting us in spite of our waywardness? Our disobedience? Our forgetfulness? Our selfishness? Our avarice?

It is from this perspective that I seek to tell you the story of ten incredible Black women. I tell you about their plight in our nation not to rub America’s nose in her corporate sin, but to proclaim the glory of the God who heard their cries and answered their prayers and used them mightily in spite of their country of origin. I tell you about their struggles and their triumphs not to elevate their Blackness, but to elevate God’s grace in creating that brown skin in his image. When I tell you the story of dignified Black womanhood, I do so to combat the opposite narrative, yes, but I also do it to point to the inherent dignity and worth of women, whom God created in his image and for his glory. God’s image carved in ebony.

But reason quickly calmed me. Because saying that Amanda Berry Smith— or Elizabeth Freeman— or Sara G. Stanley— or Maria Fearing— or Sarah Mapps Douglass— or Nannie Helen Burroughs— or any other woman in these pages— is God’s image carved in ebony isn’t about carving little statues and worshipping little Black deities. It’s about the imago Dei— the image of God.

Black women are made in the image of God. They are that image carved in ebony hues, wrought with a purpose, for his glory. These teachers, preachers, missionaries, activists, writers, wives, sisters, and mothers have so much to teach us about what it means to be both Black and American, both woman and citizen, and overwhelmingly and through it all, Christian. Their lives hold encouragement for men and women of every tribe, tongue, and nation because their lives show the beauty of truly understanding what it means to be made in the image of God.

This book is part biography and part memoir— part research, part love letter.

My goal in these pages is not to give you a comprehensive look at the ten lives included here, but rather to (1) give you a taste of the dynamic lives of these women and to (2) show you which parts of their stories have inspired me in my own journey toward understanding what it means to be part of the story God is telling so that (3) you are inspired to delve deeper into each of their lives to see God’s handiwork and proclaim his goodness.”

In Carved in Ebony, Jasmine spotlights 10 never been heard black women who did amazing works for the Lord and contrasts them with her life and from that we can mirror their lives and strive to be bold, fearless, trust and Obey the one true king no matter our skin tone. I was excited to dive into this book because it has my two favourites History and Faith.
This is definitely an essential that everyone should have on their bookshelf.
Thank you Ms.Holmes for this enlightening read and Netgalley for approving this book to me.

This is one of my favorite books in 2021! I loved everything about this book. I read Carved in Ebony and thoroughly enjoyed a closer look at unknown-to-me women of faith. There is so much to learn and encouragement to be had from looking at women in the past. Women who fought against racial and gender lines, bringing help to the people God called them to. These women lead people to God but they also helped their physical lives as well. Providing aid, or housing, or education, not simply preaching the Gospel. These women were fierce and bold in their faith. I loved how Jasmine found common ground with them, without picking apart their individual theology or opinions. How applicable to modern times to find the things we have in common and focus on them. To find inspiration from women I don't agree on every single theology, or even know every single theology. I have enjoyed learning how Jasmine relates to these women, in different ways than I do. Jasmine leaves her thoughts at the end of each chapter, explaining why she loved and chose that particular woman. How they reminded her of her own childhood or adulthood. How their surroundings were similar to hers. I appreciated that perspective and how it guided me to find my own connection with each of these women. I loved this book and will read it again. I am thankful for the work and effort that Jasmine put into this book.

I majored in history in college, and never questioned the white, Protestant, male version of the world until I went away to graduate school and studied bilingual-bicultural education. For the first time, I learned about others’ (non-white, non-male, non-Protestant) experiences. Ever since, I’ve been on a slow journey to learn about others’ perspectives, experiences, and realities.

Carved in Ebony: Lessons from the Black Women Who Shape Us adds another valuable link to my chain of knowledge. Author Jasmine Holmes digs into the lives of 10 Black women who made their worlds better through their activism, writings, missionary work, or quest to uplift fellow human beings.

Unlike most history books, Carved in Ebony not only shares historical details, but it also shows how and why they matter to a Black woman today. Part history, part memoir, Holmes leads us through how learning about each woman impacted her as a Black woman, a citizen, a mother, and a Christian.

This book is a must-read for anyone wanting to broaden their understanding of the Black experience. If you truly want to understand the subtle (and not so subtle) prejudices Black women face today, you’ll read this book. Holmes celebrates strong, outspoken, women who didn’t settle for the status quo and used their God-given talents to change their world.

It would make a wonderful book for families to read together and discuss. Teachers could also use the book in their classrooms when discussing Black History Month, racism, and women in history.

NetGalley ARC Educator 550974

If Rebel girls is to educate little ones, Carved in Ebony is for preteens and up. A wonderful guide to the lives of sheroes and remarkable women of color. Some were stories I knew and others were not. A wonderful edition to any collection.

I love the amount of excitement the author brings throughout their stories. The way they put emotion into the words, making it feel as it is lifting right off the page. I also enjoyed finding out about a few people I had no idea of. Learning new things from this book is one of the many things that makes this enjoyable. I definitely recommend.

Thankful to learn about women whose names I did not previously know... and yet this felt like it only skimmed the surface and too often was about something (or someone) other than the women themselves.

One of my favorite classes in college was Women's History. While most history classes tend to cover primarily white men and focus on wars and government changes, this class focused on domestic life and families and we read several biographies of influential women in history. That class was eye-opening and showed me much I had missed out on learning in my past school years. Similarly, Jasmine Holmes has opened my eyes to ten Black women who were wives, mothers, activists, teachers and missionaries.

Prior to reading this book, I had heard of none of these women - Elizabeth Freeman, Nannie Helen Burroughs, Amanda Berry Smith, Sarah Mapps Douglas to name a few. Holmes gives a very brief sketch of each of their lives along with observations about what she - and the rest of us - can learn and admire about each woman. This is not a dry book of biographies; it is personal. I particularly loved how Holmes consistently brought the point around to the truth of God's sovereignty and provision and care for each woman. Each of these women suffered, experienced injustice and loss and oppression. and yet they lived lives devoted to service. Reading about the injustice and suffering they lived through definitely exposes in a personal way the gross sins of racism and slavery in our country. I love what Holmes writes in her introduction: "I tell you about their plight in our nation not to rub America's nose in her corporate sin, but to proclaim the glory of the God who heard their cries and answered their prayers and used them mightily in spite of their country of origin" [quote from Advanced Reading Copy - check against final copy]

I wasn't even halfway through this before I had pre-ordered a hard copy to own. I would love to include this book as part of a US history curriculum and promote awareness and admiration for these ten women. Highly recommended!

A Great book which preserve the historical names of women whose work and contribuition to spread not just the power of Black movement agains slavery and its consequences, but to impact the world with the word of God. Well done to the author . I also loved a lot the aesthetic and the cover chosen.

The word that I think of most when I think about my reading of this book is "refreshed." Holmes shares the histories of ten Black women who played significant roles in the formation of our faith. While Holmes could have written multiple books on the topic, her choice of these ten women was a stark reminder to me of how many Black women of their time played similar roles - advocates, educators, nurturers, abolitionists, writers, and more - and were not recorded in history.

While it can be tempting when writing about heroes of the past to lionize them and gloss over their failures, I was refreshed to find that Holmes actively reminds the reader that none of these women were perfect. Each had her flaws, and each was mightily used by God for His glory. I also really enjoyed that her own story was intertwined with these legacies, showing how their work is still impacting our faith journeys today. In the introduction, Holmes shares her goals for the book:

<blockquote>My goal in these pages is not to give you a comprehensive look at the ten lives included here, but rather to (1) give you a taste of the dynamic lives of these women and to (2) show you which parts of their stories have inspired me in my own journey toward understanding what it means to be part of the story God is telling so that (3) you are inspired to delve deeper into each of their lives to see God’s handiwork and proclaim his goodness.</blockquote>

Holmes certainly meets and exceeds these goals. I finished this book wanting to know more. Other than a few minor typos and formatting things (which was probably just a result of this being an unformatted advanced copy), the book was well written and compelling. Definitely recommend!

<i>An ARC of this book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.</i>

Anyone else love missionary biographies? 🙋‍♀️ While Carved in Ebony isn’t a collection of only missionary stories, in these pages you will find mini biographies of women who loved and glorified their Creator with their lives. What makes this book special is the excitement that the author brings to her writing. She is passionate about sharing the stories of Black women who have been hidden because of our country’s history, but also about the research process itself. It is this unique blend of contagious enthusiasm and a behind-the scenes look at research that makes the reading experience something special.
I love this quote, which explains the heart behind the book:

“I tell you about their plight in our nation not to rub America’s nose in her corporate sin, but to proclaim the glory of the God who heard their cries and answered their prayers and used them mightily in spite of their country of origin. I tell you about their struggles and their triumphs not to elevate their Blackness, but to elevate God’s grace in creating that brown skin in his image.”

Recommended for anyone who loves learning about “hidden” pieces of history, and/or for those who love to read about inspiring people.

This book was an absolutely remarkable and amazing read that should be required reading everywhere. Everyone needs to read this book and spread the names of these women to who have been forgotten by history.