The Twain Shall Meet

By B.C. Burks

Is a light-skin woman privileged or does she have the right to pass as a white woman? It's1913 in Washington, D.C.  Anne and Arlene Arbor are identical twin sisters living separate lives.  One is a strong advocate speaking up for the rights of black women but is blindsided and feels betrayed when her sister, who she hasn't seen in years, reveals that she is  passing for white.  Then, if that isn't enough to take, what else could possibly happen?

• Language: English
• Publisher: B.C. Burks
• Release date: Jul 7, 2018
• ISBN: 9781386290711

B.C. Burks

B.C. Burks was born and raised in New Jersey. Taking an early retirement, she decided that it was time for her dreams to come true, 'to be a writer'. She likes most things from a historical perspective: books, old photos, and watching the classics. Her fictional short stories thus far are: The Twain Shall Meet; Tala; The Fifth/Sixth Wife; In the Blink of an Eye; and The 59th Street Bridge to Nowhere. She also loves spending time with her family. There's never a dull moment with her two very distinctive cats, Sonic and Cali. Follow her on Twitter: @BcBurks and Instagram: bc.burks.71

Book preview

CHAPTER ONE

Washington, D.C. – March 1913

The weather was almost perfect—clear skies and clean crisp air—with the temperature well in the mid-50s. Spectators of all shapes, sizes and colors began arriving and lining the streets of Pennsylvania Avenue. Some came at least six hours early.

It was the day before the inauguration of President Woodrow Wilson. It was also the first march of the Woman’s Suffrage Movement being held in Washington, D.C. Besides being so close to the Capitol Building, there was so much to see. There were women bands, brigades on horses, floats, heralds with trumpets, and of course, the marchers. Close to ten thousand women from all walks of life and all parts of the world participated in the grand procession, including men.

Little did they know that trouble was brewing for the colored marchers. They were told not to participate. They were not welcomed. When the Association of Colored Women decided to be a part of the march, some of the white southern suffragists threatened to boycott the event; they were not comfortable marching with the colored women. The solution the white delegates came up with was to segregate the colored women from the white women—to move them to the back of the line. Many of the colored women were afraid of being attacked, so all but a handful backed out. The few that stayed made the decision to keep pressing on – come what may.

***

"Shucks Arlene, your skin is twice as fair as hers, and she has the nerve to tell YOU to go to the back of the line? I thought this was about ALL women’s rights, to help improve the economic and political situation, regardless of the color of our