Wissahickon Souls

Claire Penniman is an improbable hero who defies racial expectations. Born to free black parents, she is indentured to Wissahickon Farm at the age of 6. From her birth in 1806 in the Germantown neighborhood of Philadelphia to the story’s end in 1836, Claire struggles to forge a future determined by the call of her soul rather than the color of her skin. Along the way, she confronts slave catchers, helps fugitive slaves, marries her indenture holder’s youngest son and with him, runs away to Haiti, where their marriage is accepted. After 10 years, in 1834 they return to a Philadelphia beset by riots and hate.

This novel fills a gap in American memory that marginalizes 19th-century African-American lives. Set in Philadelphia and Haiti during the years 1806 to 1836, Wissahickon Souls shows how a culture of racial prejudice contaminates the relationships of even well-meaning people. All the while, the Wissahickon Creek wends its way equally through the lives of blacks and whites.

Wissahickon Souls is a story of love, regret and reconciliation. Although Claire’s world defines people by the color of their skin, her destiny is to bear witness to the truth that illuminates the color of souls.