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Will's Race for Home By Jewell Parker Rhodes Read By Christopher Hampton
Bestselling and award-winning author Jewell Parker Rhodes goes West in this thrilling adventure story about a son and his father who set out to win land during the Oklahoma Land Rush–if they can survive the journey.It’s 1889, barely twenty-five years after the Emancipation Proclamation, and a young Black family is tired of working on land they don’t get to own.So when Will and his father hear about an upcoming land rush, they set out on a journey from Texas to Oklahoma, racing thousands of others to the place where land is free—if they can get to it fast enough. But the journey isn’t easy—the terrain is rough, the bandits are brutal, and every interaction carries a heavy undercurrent of danger.And then there’s the stranger they encounter and befriend: a mysterious soldier named Caesar, whose Union emblem brings more attention—and more trouble—than any of them need.All three are propelled by the promise of something long denied to them: freedom, land ownership, and a place to call home—but is a strong will enough to get them there?
- Duration:
- 4m
- Broadcast on:
- 14 Jan 2025
- Audio Format:
- other
"My father is a far-thinking man. He stands, feet firmly planted on the ground, his hand over his eyes, blocking the blind and sun. I stand to the left of him, stroking bell, our gray mule. But what seems like ours, father stares at the horizon. I can't imagine what he sees, not truly. I ask once, 'What are you looking at?' Without looking in me, he answered, 'Dirt, dirt is all around, not worth staring at, I think. Neil or far, it's all Texas soil.' The Bible teaches me to respect my father. I try, I do. Unlike grandpa, father never says much, not to me or ma. 'My wife died birthing him,' grandpa laments, as if it were days not decades ago. 'It's a sorry tale,' ma murmurs, her back bent, stitching shirts attending to the heart. 'Your son is a good man.' Grandpa, nearly toothless, smacks his gums. 'Of course he is. He's my son.' 'My smiles at me. I smile back. I don't know why. It feels as though ma and I have a pact. I don't know what our pact is, but ma includes me in ways father never does. She makes sweet treats, tucks me in bed, kisses my forehead, and sometimes lets me have a carrot for Belle. She talks to me calm, sensible. 'Yes, father is a far thinking man. Father's life isn't here, but now it's out there, somewhere else, in a future time. I think I'm too close to him. Too near to count.' Shoulders rigid, father gazes. I try to see what he sees, a flat, brown plane that stretches endlessly. Maybe father likes how the sky makes people feel small, or how the horizon seems bleak, dusty, and endless. Or maybe he loves the burnt air that fills your throat and lungs day in and day out. Or how the night time heat makes it impossible to sleep. I hate it here. The only home I've ever known. I wish I were gone. Belle braids, I pat, trying to soothe her. It's harder standing still beneath the dry Texas sun. It's better working. Finishing the telling, and knowing when you're done, you can be cool in the bomb. Belle isn't stupid. Often, she says what I want to say, but can't. Restless, Belle braids again, a high-pitched hee, then haul. Hee, haul. Father spins, his face harsh. Wish I could trade you for a horse. Belle isn't bold. Her arch and brown eyes watch, father. Her thick lashes, bad at flies. What does father feel? Most times, his face is like granite. High cheek bones, craggy chin. Come on, boy. Father says, without looking at me, he smacks Bell's Hine. Back to work. [BLANK_AUDIO]
Bestselling and award-winning author Jewell Parker Rhodes goes West in this thrilling adventure story about a son and his father who set out to win land during the Oklahoma Land Rush–if they can survive the journey.It’s 1889, barely twenty-five years after the Emancipation Proclamation, and a young Black family is tired of working on land they don’t get to own.So when Will and his father hear about an upcoming land rush, they set out on a journey from Texas to Oklahoma, racing thousands of others to the place where land is free—if they can get to it fast enough. But the journey isn’t easy—the terrain is rough, the bandits are brutal, and every interaction carries a heavy undercurrent of danger.And then there’s the stranger they encounter and befriend: a mysterious soldier named Caesar, whose Union emblem brings more attention—and more trouble—than any of them need.All three are propelled by the promise of something long denied to them: freedom, land ownership, and a place to call home—but is a strong will enough to get them there?