'Marrow of Tradition' Summary

The Marrow of Tradition is set in Wilmington, North Carolina, in the late 19th century, during a period of intense racial tension and violence. The novel follows the intertwined lives of several characters, including Dr. Miller, a prominent black physician; Tom Delany, a white man who is sympathetic to the plight of African Americans; and Annibel Lee, a young black woman who is the object of both Tom's affection and the town's white supremacists' hatred. As the novel progresses, racial tensions escalate, leading to a violent confrontation between the black and white communities. The Marrow of Tradition is a powerful and unflinching portrayal of the realities of racism in the post-Reconstruction South.