“The city of Philadelphia wasn’t what it claimed to be.” So begins author Ashton Lattimore’s riveting debut novel. Set in 1837, All We Were Promised narrates the intersecting lives of three Black women in vastly differing circumstances as they navigate the cruel realities of a city that was “the self-proclaimed cradle of liberty,” yet failed miserably to live up to its ideals.
As runaway slaves from the White Oaks plantation in the South, Charlotte and her father James try to escape the haunting evils of plantation life and cobble together a better future in Philadelphia. James profits from the fact that he can pass as white and launches a woodworking business, while claiming that Charlotte is his maid. However, Charlotte is incensed by James’s deception and is filled with a longing for a free life. What sense is there in fleeing slavery only to lose one’s freedom to a lie that can only ultimately lead to disaster?
When Charlotte has a chance encounter with Nell, the daughter of one of Philadelphia’s elite Black families, the two strike up a friendship rooted in their abolitionist sentiments. Unbeknownst to James, Charlotte begins to attend anti-slavery women’s meetings and to be caught up in the triumph of the construction of Pennsylvania Hall, a grand meeting venue initiated and paid for by the city’s abolitionist groups.
On a trip to the market, Charlotte is startled when a familiar face appears, then disappears in the shifting crowd. Was that Evie, her friend from White Oaks? And what was she doing in Philadelphia? When the two young women finally meet, Charlotte learns that Evie was brought to the city by their plantation mistress and urgently needs to escape the evil woman’s clutches.
As Charlotte, Nell, and Evie join forces to ensure Evie’s freedom, they encounter violence, destruction, and hatred as the city erupts into riots and Pennsylvania Hall is burnt to the ground. But amid the ashes, the three women discover hope and fresh beginnings as abolitionists continue to pursue freedom for all Black people.
In an author’s note, Lattimore writes, “At its core, All We Were Promised is rooted in the social vibrancy, activism, political engagement, and diversity of Philadelphia’s Black community. In telling this story, I hoped not only to resurrect the fascinating history of Pennsylvania Hall but also to shine a light on the often-overlooked agency and ingenuity of the Black women and men who helped shape Philadelphia and the abolitionist movement during the critical pre-Civil War period of American history.”
(Ballantine Books)
About the Author
Sonya VanderVeen Feddema is a freelance writer and a member of Covenant CRC in St. Catharines, Ontario.