Entertainment

Book Review-“The Parker Sisters: A Border Kidnapping”

Published

11 years ago

February 13, 2016

Your neighbors said they’d keep an eye on your house for you this summer.

They’d get the mail in, and grab the newspaper while you were on vacation. They’d do everything for you – and, as in the new book “The Parker Sisters: A Border Kidnapping” by Lucy Maddox, you should be glad if they watch your children, too.

Along the border between Pennsylvania and Maryland , Thomas McCreary “earned a reputation” as slave catcher, did jail time in 1849 for kidnapping, and was mistrusted by many, Black and white.

Still, he’d managed to find work as a mail carrier in both states, which may’ve given him opportunity to observe the comings-and-goings of Elizabeth and Rachel Parker, two free Black children.

Elizabeth, somewhere around 10 years old, was a headstrong, “difficult” child who’d left (or been kicked out of) her family’s home years before and had worked and lived with a series of white families.

The latest was near-destitute; Maddox hypothesizes that Elizabeth ’s presence in the Donnelly household may have been on purpose, so that McCreary might have an easier chance to snatch her.

Two weeks later, Elizabeth ’s older sister, Rachel, was taken in broad daylight, right in front of the family who employed her.

Rachel’s abduction, says Maddox, probably made neighbors notice that Elizabeth, who was already on her way to a slave auction in Baltimore, was gone.

The man who employed Rachel, Joseph Miller, was outraged over her kidnapping. There had been similar trouble before nearby; the Federal government and individual states had long argued over the laws governing escaped slaves, free Blacks, and slave catchers who generally lied about both.

Miller and his neighbors sprang into action and, says Maddox, “Within 24 hours, the abductions of the Parker sisters would no longer be local matters.”

Neither would they be resolved happily or quickly. Says author Lucy Maddox, Rachel and Elizabeth spent months in jail, while their legal status and identities were resolved.

In the meantime, one man lost his life and another got off “scot-free.”

I’m normally not a fan of books that offers dozens of names to keep track of, but that profuseness somehow works in “The Parker Sisters.”

That may be because Maddox explains in detail the significance of what happened by telling the history behind the laws that made this event possible (and illegal).

Readers will appreciate the story’s movement between North and South, and the clarity of explanation, even on the smallest of details. There are some big surprises in here, too – particularly in what happened to Elizabeth Parker.

On the matter of murder, Maddox is rather like a detective, which is another well-done aspect of this book. Officials tried to explain the death as a suicide, but she walks readers through events and clues to prove otherwise.

Despite all that’s appealing, and because it’s packed with a lot, this isn’t an easy book to read – but it’s worth it.

If you’re a lover of a good tale or a historian, particularly, “The Parker Sisters” is a book you’ll want to keep your eyes on.

“The Parker Sisters: A Border Kidnapping” by Lucy Maddox, c 2016, Temple University Press, $28.50; 256 pages.

Oakland Post

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21st Annual Taste of Soul: California’s Largest Black Street Festival Comes Alive With Culture, Music and Connections

The 21st annual Taste of Soul Family Festival drew over 300,000 attendees to South Los Angeles for a massive celebration of Black culture, food, and music. Spanning the Crenshaw Boulevard corridor, the free event featured roughly 350 vendors, offering everything from Southern cuisine to professional health services and job recruitment opportunities. While headlining musical acts performed across three stages, the festival also served as a vital platform for small business entrepreneurs to reach a vast audience. Organizers are now addressing reports regarding several incidents that occurred during the festivities. Read more.

Published

14 hours ago

November 3, 2026

Post News Group

INSIDE Danny Bakewell Sr. (left) and Pamela Bakewell (right), longtime community leaders and organizers of the Taste of Soul Family Festival in Los Angeles.

The 21st annual Taste of Soul Family Festival brought hundreds of thousands to Crenshaw Boulevard in South Los Angeles on Oct. 17 for food, music and a celebration of Black culture. Visitors could shop with small businesses, enjoy live music performances, speak with health professionals and learn about job opportunities.

Presented by Bakewell Media and the Los Angeles Sentinel, the free festival stretched along the corridor from Stocker Street to Obama Boulevard. The Sentinel estimated attendance at more than 300,000. The day also marked founder Danny J. Bakewell Sr.’s 80th birthday.

“We call it a party with a purpose,” Pam Bakewell, the founder’s sister and a longtime festival organizer, told California Black Media (CBM).

The enticing aromas of barbecue, fried chicken and catfish filled the air as food vendors served up a tempting array of Southern favorites, including cobbler and other desserts. Vendors also offered clothing, jewelry, books and beauty products. About 350 vendors and sponsors participated, including approximately 80 food vendors, Bakewell said. Businesses came from across Southern California and as far away as Chicago and Atlanta.

“In one day, an entrepreneur has the opportunity to showcase their business to hundreds of thousands of people,” Danny J. Bakewell Jr., president of the Sentinel.

Chase offered vendors training in marketing and financial management, followed by a reception.

Experienced vendors also helped newcomers. Pam Bakewell cited Cobbler King, a longtime participant who shares lessons from his early festivals about preparing for crowds and building a business.

“We want everybody to be successful,” she said. “We can’t guarantee that, but we give you the crowd.”

Kaiser Permanente served as the festival’s main medical provider. St. John’s Community Health sponsored Children’s World, where children played games while families received preventive care and information about follow-up services.

St. John’s provided flu shots, fluoride treatments for children and clinic sign-ups for physical examinations. It also reported distributing more than 10,400 bags of diapers.

CBM hosted a booth as part of its California Black Health Journalism Project, a yearlong, solutions-oriented reporting initiative to advance health equity for Black Californians.

Dr. Deidra Beckles, who practices family and internal medicine, and Adriana Westby-Trent, Ph.D., a licensed clinical psychologist, held “Ask the Doc” conversations. Both are with Divinely Restored Health & Wellness. The booth drew steady traffic as they answered attendees’ health questions. Visitors received a “Your Wellness Matters” T-shirt.

The Sentinel promoted a developing jobs platform, inviting attendees to post resumes and connect with employers. Bakewell said about 350 people signed up along the boulevard.

Three stages offered music for different generations. The Bakewell Media Sounds of the Soul Stage featured Thelma Houston, Switch and headliner Midnight Star. Tony Cornelius, son of “Soul Train” creator Don Cornelius, introduced Midnight Star and appeared with eight veteran dancers from the television show.

The Radio Free KJLH Music Stage featured Lucky Daye, Alex Isley, Allen Stone and Terisa Griffin. On the Brenda Marsh-Mitchell Gospel Stage, MAJOR. served as host and performer. The lineup included Deitrick Haddon, local choirs and a youth performing arts ensemble.

During the festivities, ABC7 reported two stabbings and an hours long Los Angeles Police Department citywide tactical alert.

Pam Bakewell said police told organizers the incidents occurred outside the festival boundaries. She said organizers are reviewing safety measures with security personnel and police.