Of One Blood

Of One Blood (1902-1903) is a novel by Pauline E. Hopkins. Recognized as one of the earliest works of science fiction by an African American writer, Of One Blood was originally published in The Colored American Magazine, America's first monthly periodical covering African American arts and culture. Combining themes of racial identity and passing within a genre-blending narrative of Gothic horror and the occult, Hopkins weaves a masterful tale of conspiracy, a lost African kingdom, and murder. Struggling with the mental and financial pressures of medical school, Reuel Briggs-a Black man who passes as white-decides to take a night off in order to attend a local concert. There, he sees the singer Dianthe Lusk, a beautiful woman who possess a mysterious aura. The next day, Reuel is called to assist at the scene of a train accident. There, he chances upon Dianthe, who has sustained a blow to the head. Using an experimental form of mesmerism, Reuel brings her back to life, but she seems to be suffering from near total amnesia. After nursing her back to health with the help of his best friend Aubrey, Reuel finds her a place to stay in Boston. Hoping to marry her, he offers to embark on an archaeological expedition organized by Aubrey, who claims to have discovered a lost Ethiopian kingdom. As the story unfolds, redemption turns to betrayal, best friends become sworn enemies, and a secret from the distant past threatens to change Reuel's life forever. With this thrilling tale of race, adventure, and mystery, Hopkins proves herself as a true pioneer of American literature, a woman whose talent and principles afforded her the vision necessary for illuminating the injustices of life in a nation founded on slavery and genocide.

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Pauline Elizabeth Hopkins (1859-1930) was an African American novelist, playwright, and historian. Born in Portland, Maine, Hopkins was raised in Boston by her mother and adopted father. Supported in her academic pursuits from a young age, Hopkins excelled at Girls High School, where she won a local competition for her essay on the raising of children. In 1877, she began her career as a dramatist with a production in Saratoga, which encouraged her to write a musical entitled Slaves' Escape; or, The Underground Railroad (1880). In 1900, she published "Talma Gordon," now considered the first mystery story written by an African American author. Having established herself as a professional writer, she published three serial novels in the periodical The Colored American Magazine, including Hagar's Daughter: A Story of Southern Caste Prejudice (1901-1902) and Winona: A Tale of Negro Life in the South and Southwest (1902-1903). Often compared to her contemporaries Charles Chestnutt and Paul Laurence Dunbar, Hopkins made a name for herself as a successful and ambitious author who advocated for the rights of African Americans at a time of intense violence and widespread oppression.