Book review: Pulitzer winner about chain gangs, lynching, black history and the Civil Rights era
Chasing Me to My Grave: An Artist’s Memoir of the Jim Crow South by the late Winfred Rembert is a life story about a nobody becoming a somebody.
In short, it recounts how Rembert grew up in Georgian cotton fields, survived years on chain gangs and became a world-renowned leather artist.
The Bloomsbury Publishing memoir was told to Tufts Philosopher Erin I. Kelly and scooped the 2022 Pulitzer Prize in Biography.
So keep reading to find out more about this award-winning story, what makes it interesting and how it can help us with our own creating …
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What Chasing Me to My Grave is about
The book starts with Rembert being raised by cotton-picking Georgian relatives and joining the Civil Rights Movement as a teen.
However, before long he is arrested running from a protest, survives a near-lynching by the law and endures seven years on chain gangs.
At this time he meets the love of his life, Patsy, and they marry after his release and have eight children.
Then, in his 50s, Rembert becomes a notable leather artist who creates scenes from his youth using skills learnt in prison.
“A man don’t know what he can go through until it starts happening. Just think about that. You don’t know what you can endure until it starts happening to you… I would not have thought I could have survived that. But I was young and I did.”
Related article – Windswept and Interesting: Autobiography by Glasgow joker Billy Connolly
What’s interesting about this memoir
Chasing Me to My Grave is an educational read on many fronts.
However, the most notable things I learnt were the horrific and shockingly commonplace actions of white people towards black people.
For example lynchings, unfair trials, segregation, abuse, insults and more.
But on a more positive note, it was fascinating to discover how Rembert created his masterpieces using wet leather, simple tools and camel-hair paintbrushes.
Also how his buried memories – kept secret for decades – nagged to be spoken and shared.
“I needed someone to tell it to. Before I started talking about it, I wasn’t able to talk about it, but when I started talking about it, it just came out.”
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Takeaways from Chasing Me to My Grave
Life-story creators can learn much from Chasing Me to My Grave.
Firstly how Rembert said he slowly stirred up his childhood memories, which in turn stirred up more and more.
Second, regular chats with an interviewer or keen listener can be a great way to complete a first draft.
Also, life-story projects come in many formats: in this case, a mid-length read of equal parts words, artwork, letters and photos.
Finally the power of conversational text with short sentences and simple words.
“I began to relive a lot of things I had buried. When I started talking about my life, I just started telling it and telling it and telling it. More memories come back…”
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Read – Memory recall: How to fast track remembering childhood memories + long-term memory retrieval
Read article – Life in pictures: Make a life-story scrapbook album in 3 easy steps
Final say
Chasing Me to My Grave: An Artist’s Memoir of the Jim Crow South by Winfred Rembert is a confronting life story.
However, it is also a heartwarming tale of love for a community and family.
Indeed read this story if you want to understand segregation and the legacy of slavery.
But more importantly to learn from the past so that we can create a fairer future.
Happy writing and reading!
“I believe I could have been a doctor, and not just a doctor, a great doctor… But I don’t think I should have to be beat up to get there, or shackled up to get there. I shouldn’t have to be an Uncle Tom to get there. I should be able to get there on my knowledge.”
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Want to help a loved one record their life story just like Rembert? I show you step-by-step in the Your Family Stories System. Get the first few sections for free. Sign up here.
Your say
What images or artwork will you include in your life-story work? I’d love to hear your thoughts. Send me an email or leave a reply in the comments section at the end of this article.
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*Please note: If this article has been triggering for you, please contact your doctor or health professional for help that suits your specific circumstances. Further resources: Beyondblue, Lifeline Australia.
