The Secret of Gumbo Grove by Eleanora Elaine Tate
**Overview of "The Secret of Gumbo Grove" by Eleanora Elaine Tate**
"The Secret of Gumbo Grove" is a children's novel that explores themes of heritage, community, and discovery through the eyes of Raisin Stackhouse, a young girl who unravels the hidden history of her community. Set in the resort town of Gumbo Grove, which caters primarily to white vacationers, the story reveals the deeper, often overlooked past of the black residents who have lived there. Raisin's journey begins as she helps an elderly woman, Miss Effie Pfluggins, clean a neglected cemetery, igniting her interest in the stories of those buried there and the true ownership of the land.
As Raisin conducts her research, she uncovers significant historical truths, including the identity of Alexander Morgan G. Dickson, the community's first mayor, who is revealed to be black—a fact that challenges the prevailing narratives of the town. Through her determination, Raisin not only learns about the struggles of her ancestors but also engages her community in preserving their shared heritage. The novel emphasizes the importance of storytelling, intergenerational knowledge, and the connection to one’s roots, making it a culturally rich exploration of the Afro-American experience. As Raisin navigates personal challenges, she also celebrates achievements with her family and community, showcasing resilience and pride in their collective history.
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The Secret of Gumbo Grove by Eleanora Elaine Tate
First published: 1987
Type of work: Social realism
Themes: Race and ethnicity, family, friendship, and social issues
Time of work: The 1980’s
Recommended Ages: 10-13
Locale: Gumbo Grove, South Carolina
Principal Characters:
Raisin Stackhouse , an eleven-year-old girl with an absorbing interest in history, especially if it pertains to her African American ancestorsMiss Effie Pfluggins , the eighty-seven-year-old widow of Reverend Odell Pfluggins, who has been church secretary for forty-six yearsMiss Aussie (Skipper) , a local politician and property owner who wants the church records erased so as not to reveal her slave rootsHattie Stackhouse , Raisin’s younger sister who competes in the Twenty-seventh Annual Miss Ebony Calvary County PageantAlexander Morgan G. Dickson , a black man, the founder and first mayor of Gumbo Grove from 1844 to 1850, also a hero of the War of 1812 and state senator
The Story
Gumbo Grove is a resort community attractive to whites for its beachfront properties, condominiums, and business strip. The black population that lives on the less-valued inland properties works in the service industry catering to the rich vacationers. Most people assume that Gumbo Grove always belonged to the white businessmen and landowners. Raisin Stackhouse is one of the first to discover the true heritage of Gumbo Grove.
Raisin’s investigation of the past begins when she helps Miss Effie Pfluggins clean up the grave of her husband at the old New Africa No. One Missionary Baptist Church cemetery. Raisin is excited by the stories of black kin buried in the neglected cemetery but disturbed to learn that the church and cemetery occupying prime highway property are in danger of being moved. Raisin agrees to help Miss Effie write the history of the church cemetery.
With writing equipment and tape recorder in hand, Raisin visits Miss Effie and begins to record the stories. She learns that the waterfront property had been owned by poor blacks who sold it for a pittance to land developers. Only her great-uncle, Sarvis Exile, refused to sell. When the buyers burned down his house, he barely escaped to another county. She learns that the cemetery had a prisoners’ plot. She learns of Gussie Ann Vereen, a ten-year-old slave girl who grieved herself to death waiting for her runaway father.
Raisin’s research efforts are stymied when she gets into trouble. Her preoccupation with the cemetery history has resulted in forfeiting to her sister Hattie Stackhouse the right to compete in the Miss Ebony Pageant. Then, she must hand over her tapes to her parents when Miss Aussie Skipper complains that Raisin is telling tales about Miss Aussie’s family background. Even worse, she gets grounded after her mother learns that Raisin went to a dance without permission.
Charged by Miss Effie to learn the identity of Alexander Morgan G. Dickson, Raisin is forced to conduct her research from home. A phone inquiry to the library uncovers the truth not only for Raisin but for the entire community. The librarian announces the findings in the newspaper: Alexander Morgan G. Dickson founded Gumbo Grove in 1842 and was its first mayor. A more astounding piece of history is revealed by the church records. Alexander Morgan was black and buried in the old cemetery.
The newspaper revelation piques the interest of the entire community. It is now impossible for Miss Aussie to suppress the history contained in the old cemetery. She helplessly stands by as old and young of the black community clean up the rubbish in the cemetery. Miss Effie, Raisin, family, friends, and television cameras are all present when at last the stone marker of the founder of Gumbo Grove is revealed. Raisin and Miss Effie have succeeded in their mission to preserve both the history and cemetery of the New Africa No. One Missionary Baptist Church.
The following evening Mr. and Mrs. Stackhouse are duly proud of the achievements of their daughters. Hattie wins first runner-up in the Little Miss Ebony Contest, and Raisin receives the first Community Service Award.
Context
In Shadow and Substance: Afro-American Experience in Contemporary Children’s Fiction (1982), Rudine Sims discusses types of realistic fiction written for and about Afro-American children from 1965 to 1979. The Secret of Gumbo Grove can be categorized with the culturally conscious books that “attempt to reflect and illuminate both the uniqueness and the universal humanness of the Afro-American experience from the perspective of an Afro-American child or family.” The Secret of Gumbo Grove shares with other culturally conscious books the use of authentic language, relationships between young and old, the inclusion of extended families, the Afro-American tradition of naming through the use of nicknames, the inclusion of religion, and, of course, reference to Afro-American history and culture.
Comparisons can be made between The Secret of Gumbo Grove and other culturally conscious books, such as Virginia Hamilton’s The House of Dies Drear (1968) and The Mystery of Drear House (1987). Both Tate and Hamilton use the motif of the older generation passing on their entrusted wisdom and history to future generations. Their stories recall, therefore, the role of the African storyteller, who conveys the wisdom of the ancients via the art of storytelling. The role of the intergenerational storyteller can also be seen in the children’s books Cornrows (1979), by Camille Yarbrough, and The Hundred Penny Box (1975), by Sharon Bell Mathis.
The Secret of Gumbo Grove is Tate’s second book intended for the preadolescent audience. Its subplot of learning to share and care about family and friends is the primary plot of Just an Overnight Guest (1980). Nine-year-old Margie Carson has a tough time sharing her home and family with a disruptive, half-white, four-year-old from the “other side of the tracks.” It does not become any easier when she learns that Ethel is Uncle Jake’s daughter and, therefore, her cousin.