Like many Black Americans of the mid-twentieth century, Phyllis Lawson's parents moved from their hometown of Livingston, Alabama to the big city in search of a better life. It wasn't long before hardships left them unable to provide.
Soon, four-year-old Phyllis is plucked off her front porch, ripped away from the only family she knows, and sent to live with her grandmother Lula on an Alabama farm with no electricity, plumbing, or running water.
Heartbroken by her mother's abandonment, Phyllis struggles to acclimate to her new surroundings. Thanks to the unconditional love of Grandma Lula and the healing powers of an old, tattered quilt, she is finally able to adjust to her new life.
In Quilt of Souls, Lawson documents her childhood growing up with the incredible woman who raised her and the powerful family heirloom that served as the cloth that would forever stitch their lives together.
With its tales of family, despair, freedom and hope, the true story behind this deeply personal memoir serves as the inspiration for http: //www.quiltofsouls.com, where individuals share relics and stories from their own family histories.
About the Author: In addition to her career in the military, she worked as an addiction and juvenile counselor for the State of Maryland and the Commonwealth of Virginia. She currently resides in Florida. She is married and has two sons and five granddaughters.
Quilt of Souls is inspired by Lawson's grandmother Lula-the woman who raised her and served as the catalyst for her success in life. Lula lived to be 103 years old and overcame the ugliness of racism through creating beautiful quilts.
