The Sheriff's Children

The Sheriff's Children is a novel by Charles W. Chesnutt, first published in 1897. The story is set in the post-Civil War South and centers around the lives of two children, Rena and Frank, who are the mixed-race offspring of a white sheriff and his black mistress. The novel explores the themes of race, class, and identity as the children struggle to find their place in a society that is deeply divided by race and class.Rena and Frank are raised by their mother, a former slave, in a small town in North Carolina. Despite their mixed-race heritage, they are accepted by the black community and are able to attend school with other black children. However, their lives are turned upside down when their father dies and they are forced to move in with their white grandmother, who is ashamed of their mixed-race heritage and refuses to acknowledge them as her grandchildren.As Rena and Frank navigate the complexities of their new life, they are confronted with the harsh realities of racism and prejudice. They are shunned by the white community and face discrimination and violence from both white and black people. Despite these challenges, they remain determined to find their place in the world and to overcome the obstacles that stand in their way.The Sheriff's Children is a powerful and thought-provoking novel that explores the complexities of race and identity in the post-Civil War South. Chesnutt's vivid descriptions and nuanced characters bring to life the struggles and triumphs of a generation of people who were caught between two worlds and forced to navigate a society that was deeply divided by race and class.The woman went into the dining-room, and a moment later the sheriff came to the door. He was a tall, muscular man, of a ruddier complexion than is usual among Southerners. A pair of keen, deep-set gray eyes looked out from under bushy eyebrows, and about his mouth was a masterful expression, which a full beard, once sandy in color, but now profusely sprinkled with gray, could not entirely conceal. The day was hot; the sheriff had discarded his coat and vest, and had his white shirt open at the throat.This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.