Author Curtis Hardison’s New Book, "Griot: The Evolution of Edgecombe," Explores Twelve Generations Descended from Enslaved Africans & the Rural Community They Created

Washington, DC, March 10, 2023 --(PR.com)-- Curtis Hardison, who was born and raised in rural coastal North Carolina and served one tour with the United States Air Force, has completed his new book, “Griot: The Evolution of Edgecombe: A Historical Perspective”: a fascinating historical account detailing the author’s ancestors and how they, after becoming ex-slaves following the Civil War, worked with their families to create their own farming community that their future generations would grow.

“‘Griot: The Evolution of Edgecombe’ is the true story that chronicles the journey of three African captives from their homelands of Cameroon, the Central African Republic, and Angola into the hands of European slave traders,” writes Hardison. “From there, they were eventually sold to shipping agents that delivered them across the Atlantic Ocean, where they were first sold to sugarcane plantations on the island of Jamaica and finally at a dockside auction near Norfolk, Virginia, in the early 1800s. The purchaser of their existence, Jessie W. Batts, carried them in chains back to his farm at Topsail Township, North Carolina, where they and their children lived the remainder of their lives as his chattel slaves, his private property.

“At the nearby Sidbury farm near Topsail Island, a house slave by the name of Sangho Shook became impregnated by her owner after being repeatedly raped in the cookhouse. She gave birth to his daughter who was given the name of Harriette. When Harriette came of age around 1888, she married a grandson of Janey and Tuney by the name of Henry Clay and thus continued the evolution of Edgecombe, now into the thirteenth generation of descendants of three African captives.

“After the end of the civil war, the newly freed ex-slaves from two farms, along with their families and relatives, began constructing homes, clearing fields, farming, and raising livestock as they began rebuilding their lives in the backwoods. This narrative chronicles their lives and the lives of many of their descendants as the place in the backwoods of coastal North Carolina gradually evolved into the independent thriving farming community of Edgecombe.”

Published by Newman Springs Publishing, Curtis Hardison’s engaging tale is the culmination of over four decades of research into the author’s family tree, of which many branches evolved from the three Africans whose lives are told within Hardison’s writings. Expertly paced and deeply personal, “Griot: The Evolution of Edgecombe” will take readers on a stunning journey to reveal how the humble beginnings of a small farming community represented a fresh start and hope for a new life.

Readers who wish to experience this mesmerizing work can purchase “Griot: The Evolution of Edgecombe: A Historical Perspective” at bookstores everywhere, or online at the Apple iBooks Store, Amazon, or Barnes and Noble.

For additional information or media inquiries, contact Newman Springs Publishing at 732-243-8512.

About Newman Springs Publishing:

Newman Springs Publishing is a full-service publishing house for serious authors. Each title produced by Newman Springs Publishing undergoes every step of the professional publishing process, including editing, layout, cover design, circulation, distribution, and publicity. All titles are made available in both eBook and print formats. Newman Springs Publishing distributes to tens of thousands of retail outlets throughout North America and internationally. All manuscripts in any genre are welcome to be submitted for review; if the manuscript meets the necessary criteria and is accepted for publication, Newman Springs Publishing will work closely with the author to bring the book to the retail market for a relatively inexpensive initial investment.