Iola Leroy is a woman who contains multitudes. Born the light-skinned child of a Mississippi slaveholder, Iola is raised in the belief that she is white - and learns the truth only after her father dies. Iola is then sold into bondage and begins to question certain other lessons of her youth as well. In the midst of widespread discrimination and violence, Iola continually strives to liberate herself from all the forces that would oppress her and is eventually able to embrace her true heritage. With her convictions thus strengthened, Iola is determined to reunite her family, take a stand against oppression, and empower African Americans to control their own destinies.

Iola Leroy; or, Shadows Uplifted was one of the first novels published in the United States by an African American woman, but its concern with abolition, women’s rights, voting rights, and education makes the book enduringly relevant. This groundbreaking novel turned Reconstruction-era notions of race and gender upside down, and it still has the power to surprise.

Revised edition: Previously published as Iola Leroy; or, Shadows Uplifted, this edition of Iola Leroy; Or, Shadows Uplifted (AmazonClassics Edition) includes editorial revisions.