"Peculiar Relationships" by Gwen Ragsdale

“Peculiar Relationships” by Gwen Ragsdale explores the unspoken history between African and White women from slavery to present time. If you are looking to bridge relationships that address racism and build understanding for how we become who we are. Then please invite other concerned people to have a book discussion about “Peculiar Relationships”.

Mrs. Gwen Ragsdale co-founder of Lest We Forget Slavery museum 3650 Richmond Street, wrote “Peculiar Relationships” so that women can understand that our skin color may be different but we have so much in common. Our strength to be seen as women and not property stands out most for me. On the ugly side the system of dependency created delusional and selfish human beings who choose to put their own desires before the respect of African’s life. These tough conversations of slavery can bring about a better life for all human beings if when we read the book we understand that we are reading the book to grow into better human beings from learning from our past.

As a community advocate I was able to learn more about the derogatory treatment African and African American women have suffered through. I learned about what our men have been through also but my focus was our women. Before interviewing Mrs. Ragsdale I listened to her interview on C.O.W. S internet radio.
http://www.blacktalkradionetwork.com/2015/12/14/the-c-o-w-s-gwen-ragsdale-peculiar-relationships/ about her book. During that interview she mentioned that she felt that “we have a duty to tell the stories of our ancestors. We all need to understand what our sisters went through and we all have an inner slave sister. The angry black women or tender loving wife just wanting to be love and cared for. We need to recognize appreciate and love our inner slave sister.”

I feel my inner slave sister, often say I was raped four generations ago and because of that rape have a hard time accepting inter-racial relationships that produce mix children. I feel the porch monkey, mulatto name calling that my great, great grandmother Sallie Biddle went through. I feel the hate of being a product of my white ancestor raping my African slave ancestor only to throw us away. My inner slave sister, my great, great grandmother is at peace now, because I was able to connect with her pain and leave all the speculations behind. Thanks to Gwen Ragsdale "Peculiar Relationships"!!