He Included Me: The Autobiography of Sarah Rice

In homespun words, strong-minded Rice, born in 1909 in rural Alabama, bears witness to her hard life as a black woman. Warm and pleasantly meandering, this oral autobiography tells of her large, devoutly religious family, her schooling, marriages, work as a maid in the homes of whites in Florida and later as a teacher: ``Just to think that from my grandfather not being able to read or write, or his wife either, and coming up from slavery, all this family grew.'' Rice's comments on social and racial issues, especially when based directly on her experiences as an employee of white families, are instructive; sensitive yet objective, she proves able to reckon with differences, not just take sides. She seems always to say exactly what she means. With the aid of Westling ( Sacred Groves and Ravaged Gardens ), Rice makes a welcome contribution to the informal history of black Americans. (Nov.)