The premise of Soul Stirrings begins with Author Joyce Joyce Coleman experiencing an epiphany as she lectures a group of high school students at Buena Park high school in Orange County, California. Coleman, at the time a corporate officer at Trans World Airlines (TWA), had been brought in as a motivational speaker and expert in customer service. She found that her young audience was unimpressed with her credentials because they believed her to be just another "oreo" - black on the outside and white on the inside. Coleman won them over by returning to her authentic self, the person who grew up in rural, pre-civil rights Mississippi and walked over two miles each way to school at a one-room schoolhouse.
Coleman's return to her roots and remembering the land, love, laughter, and sorrow of her youth led her to write Soul Stirrings, twenty seamlessly interwoven stories about growing up in Mississippi during the 1950's. She magically transports her readers to Locust Hill, Mississippi, where she skips across rolling pastures near a gentle creek to her little schoolhouse, carrying her lunch in a tin molasses bucket. Alternate transporation were Ole Grey, Ole Billy, and Ole Red, a trio of horses that made the two plus mile trek to Belmont Public School easier and faster than on foot.
Readers will delight in the richness of characters like Elsie, John Willie, partiarchic Papa, and the indomitable Miss Lula. They will learn about the social life and customs of the times as kinfold from up-North Chicago travel back and forth to McComb, Mississippi on the City of New Orleans train, bringing care packages of store-bought clothes to Locust Hill and carrying boxes of country food back to Chicago.
Stories are divided by seasonal activities.
Chapter one is devoted to memories of life during fall and spring seasons. It begins with Papa, Miss Lula, and others who lived at Locust Hill, Belmont, and surrounding communities working together to build a school so classes would not have to be held at Rose Hill Baptist church. Coleman deftly adds color and texture to day to day life. In Ghost stories she introduces storytelling as a form of entertainment that was a cultural staple.
Chapter two, Summertime, contains humorous yet poignant accounts of working the fields, revival meetings, baptisings, and rally meetings. Readers will find themselves back in the 1950's, singing and shouting at old time baptisings along the creek bank. One can almost hear the long meters (Dr. Watts' songs) that were the standard of church services during that time.
Chapter three contains stories about Christmastime and the work of deep dixie in winter, including hog killing events.
Coleman uses author's reflections at the end of each chapter to summarize her personal reaction to the memories she uncovers along her journey into her past. For her, looking back revealed a legacy of strength of character, commitment to family and eduation, personal sacrifice, and an unshakable belief in God. Knowledge of her legacy gave her insight into her own potential. As the knowledge unfolded she gained strength necessary to reinvent herself, to begin anew with a career she had privately desired for years.
Original pencil drawings of rural life during the 1950's by Joan Rushing Stewart, a Mississippi artist, beautifully illustrate stories.
Soul Stirrings contains a recipe section, thirteen scrumptous dishes that are the mainstay of Coleman's family's country feasts. Gumbo, baked goose, cornbread-oyster dressing, lemon pie, Christmas fruit cookies, and sinner's punch are among the lip-smacking recipes included.
Appendices include actual photographs of rural, Wilkinson County schoolhouses from the 1950's for African American children, excerpts of eighth grade graduation orations, and donation list for textbook-hauling fees.
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