Miriam Thaggert Livres

Exploring the dynamic interplay between writers and visual artists, this work delves into a pivotal era in African American cultural history. It highlights how their collaborations and influences shaped artistic expression and cultural identity, offering insights into the creative processes and societal contexts that defined this significant period. Through critical analysis, the book reveals the rich tapestry of contributions that have impacted both literature and visual arts.

Miriam Thaggert illuminates the stories of African American women as passengers and as workers on the nineteenth- and early-twentieth-century railroad. As Jim Crow laws became more prevalent and forced Black Americans to ride Jim Crow on the rails, the train compartment became a contested space of leisure and work. Riding Jane Crow examines four instances of Black female railroad travel: the travel narratives of Black female intellectuals such as Anna Julia Cooper and Mary Church Terrell; Black middle-class women who sued to ride in first class ladies' cars; Black women railroad food vendors; and Black maids on Pullman trains. Thaggert argues that the railroad represented a technological advancement that was entwined with African American attempts to secure social progress. Black women's experiences on or near the railroad illustrate how American technological progress has often meant their ejection or displacement; and thus, it is the Black woman who most fully measures the success of American freedom and privilege, or progress, through her travel experiences.