Sweeter the Juice A Family Memoir in Black and White [Paperback]

The Sweeter the Juiceis a provocative memoir that goes to the heart of our American identity. Shirlee Taylor Haizlip, in an effort to reconcile the dissonance between her black persona and her undeniably multiracial heritage, started on a journey of discovery that took her over thousands of miles and hundreds of years. While searching for her mother's family, Haizlip confronted the deeply intertwined but often suppressed tensions between race and skin color.
We are drawn in by the story of an African-American family. Some members chose to cross over and pass for white while others enjoyed a successful black life. Their stories weave a tale of tangled ancestry, mixed blood, and identity issues from the 17th century to the present.The Sweeter the Juiceis a memoir, a social history, a biography, and an autobiography. Haizlip gives to us the quintessential American story, unveiling truths about race, about our society, and about the ways in which we all perceive and judge one another.Shirlee Taylor Haizlip:

A Note to Her Readers;

This book started out as a gift in the form of a personal memoir for
my mother's eightieth birthday. Once engaged in the research to help
reclaim her missing family, there was so much drama, I knew I had a
book. Finding my mother's family with scant clues after seventy-six
years was a major triumph. I have changed my mind about the meaning
of race since completing this book. The concept of race is no longer
a viable entity for me; in fact, I believe the word is both political
and anachronistic.

My family has grown by leaps and bounds all over the
country. Folks who call themselves white and those who call
themselves black claim to be related to me. I welcome them all.

My mother, Margaret Morris Taylor, has been transformed by
the events in the book. She and her sister have developed a
sweet relationship. She has nieces and nephews who are thrilled
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