On the Front Porch: A Collection of Southern African American Stories

On the Porch: A Collection of Southern African American Stories invites readers to sit a spell and listen the way we’ve always listened—on the porch, where truth is told, history is remembered, and stories are passed hand to hand and heart to heart.

Spanning generations, this collection moves from the Reconstruction era through the Great Migration, the Civil Rights Movement, and into the present day. These historical fiction stories reflect the lived experiences of Southern Black families navigating faith, survival, love, loss, resistance, and joy in a world that often tried to silence them—but never could.

Rooted in oral tradition, On the Porch honors the voices of elders, the strength of communities, and the wisdom born of struggle and perseverance. These are the stories told after supper, between laughter and tears, shaped by front-porch conversations where history wasn’t written down—it was remembered.

This collection is a celebration of Black Southern life, culture, and legacy—stories that remind us where we’ve been, how far we’ve come, and why our stories still matter.