By depicting diverse skin tones and marriages within the Black community in Iola Leroy, Frances Ellen Watkins Harper emphasizes unity and shared identity while subverting negative stereotypes of Black women.
To contribute to the critical conversation on Iola Leroy, this site draws upon:
Frances E.W. Harper's life and historical context
social science research on colorism
literary criticism analyzing the novel
and a second novel, The Blacker the Berry by Wallace Thurman.