Early Days of Black Struggle

Behold a Cry, © 1947 Alan Bland, Charles Scribner & Son
I rate this: + + + +

1918 Chicago and Blacks moving north for work. Characters are poignant, as Eddie tries to "find himself." A "sporting man" he does send for his wife and two sons when he thinks he might be drafted into WWI. But the war ends before they arrive, and he has to deal with his "country" family, his mistress, his many desires. Throughout is information about the black community of the times, and the Union struggles in the meat packing industry. Well done.

I've been carrying this book around forever. It was in with my mother's books when I packed up her place. Don't know why I kept it, but I'm glad I finally read it. It appears this was Alden Bland's major work, but it is regularly mentioned in the articles and references about Black American writers and America's social struggle. His brother, Edward, was also a writer.