Alice Young leaves her tiny, segregated Alabama town in 1957 with an evil landlord hot on her heels and just one goal: find her sister, Rosie, in Chicago. But her meager funds won’t stretch that far, so she heads for Birmingham, never imagining that her bus ride will end sooner than expected. At a rest stop in New Jessup, Alice discovers her own wonderland. No “whites only” signs on the store fronts and restaurants. No white people with condescending words or expressions. In fact, no white people at all. The town envelops her in a comfort and peace she’s never known, and when the bus takes off for Birmingham, Alice is not on it.

So begins MOONRISE OVER NEW JESSUP, a story rich in the Black culture, history and challenges of the South at a time when integration is barely beginning its tumultuous journey toward civil rights.

"MOONRISE OVER NEW JESSUP is a beautifully written novel that is heavily character-driven and slow-paced, while simultaneously providing enough interest and originality to keep readers turning pages."

Taken in by a pastor and his wife, Alice is soon working at a diner and dressmaker, while falling in love with Raymond Campbell, the grandson of one of the town’s founding fathers. She embraces the lifestyle of her new town, which has been segregated from the nearby white town for nearly 60 years. But Alice soon discovers that Raymond has a secret, and when it comes to light, she is torn between her love for him and her desire to keep New Jessup exactly as she found it. Raymond, though, is not content with the status quo and is working with a “radical” group to move toward equal rights, starting with the right to vote, among other issues. Alice fears that his work will get them expelled from her little slice of paradise or result in integration.

As Alice and Raymond build a life and raise their daughter, they struggle with the pros, cons and risks of fighting for changes that are not embraced by everyone in New Jessup. When the founding fathers discover that one of their friends is the author of articles supporting the organization’s civil rights posture, they quickly run her out of town. Alice fears she and Raymond could be next.

While balancing work, marriage, motherhood, health issues and the challenges of 1960s life in the South, Alice struggles with an absence that has ripped a hole in her heart. She has not heard from Rosie for two years prior to landing in New Jessup. As years go by, letters continue to go unanswered, and no one seems to know where or how to find her sister. While those around her assume Rosie is dead, Alice hangs on tight to the belief that she is still alive. Her thoughts and memories of Rosie are both tender and heartbreaking.

MOONRISE OVER NEW JESSUP is a beautifully written novel that is heavily character-driven and slow-paced, while simultaneously providing enough interest and originality to keep readers turning pages. Jamila Minnicks gives us a behind-the-scenes view of the civil rights movement and the ways in which its leaders and foot soldiers grapple with political, societal and emotional conflicts. But more than that, we are treated to Alice’s unique voice and perspective. This will draw readers of any ethnicity into the world of a 1960s Black woman who loves her family fiercely and will do whatever it takes to protect them and the town that has provided a safe haven in a turbulent world.