Customer Reviews

The Forgotten People: Cane River's Creoles of Color

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Books such as THE FORGOTTEN PEOPLE: CANE RIVER'S CREOLES OF COLOR and BLACK MASTERS: A FREE FAMILY OF COLOR IN THE OLD SOUTH go a long way toward correcting the over-simplified views we have of the gens de couleur (people of color) in American history. A slave (the daughter of two black persons brought to the United States as slaves) woman, Marie Thereze Coincoin develops a long-term relationship with the wealthy Claude Thomas Pierre Metoyer. She eventually becomes free and gains property (including slaves). Once Metoyer and Marie Thereze go their separate ways (or at least end their intimate, if not their business assocation), Marie Thereze continues to add to her property. Her oldest son, the mulatto, (Nicolas) Augustin Metoyer buys property on Brevel Isle and is soon followed by his siblings, their children, and various other free people of color, forming a colony, which includes some of the wealthies people in the very wealthy surrounding community, including, of course, Augustin Metoyer. Many live in very fine mansions, such as Melrose. The colonists live as well off as the wealthiest whites even when economic stagnation sets in. They side with the Confederacy and, after the war, the community begins to crumble.

The book also offers us a tantalizing look at the placeage system, which also has its less official counter-parts in places such as Charleston.

I'm responding more to another comment than the book.

I notice that cane river creoles are becoming increasingly popular... and some believe they are an accurate representation of all creoles of color across the board, the standards set in that family are not the same set in all families. In proclaiming their own identity... they would discredit anothers. They describe themselves as such an exclusive group... I am not disputing that for them. In many other places too there were similar communitites - but it wasn't always the case... so please take care when you make comments about "creoles" in general... or at least specify that you are talking about a specific group of people... i.e. the creoles of cane river vs the creoles of lafayette, new orleans, lac charles, new iberia... there are differences.

this book is not a "story" or "novel" at all. this book was intended to be an historical account of a group of people of which, incidentally, i am a part of. the history of my people is not all romance and happily ever after as the reviewer, and even the author, leads one to believe. in doing research of the information gathered and documented about my people, there are several inconsistencies in Mills' book. he even contradicts his own findings when comparing this book to others he's written on the same subject. this book is useful only in that it is the only historical resource we have about the cane river creoles of color, but that, i assure you, will not always be the case.

Cane River has not only captured an era gone by, but has resurrected a legacy. The Metoyer family has multiplied beyond believe and the book has given them a tool to link together their roots and acknowledge their heritage. it also disspells any rumors of their true ethnic background

This brief history of America's "unknown" Southern minority, "People of Color". This book tells a wonderful story of how the "melting pot" in America works. This is not only an accurate portrayal of Louisiana/American history but, also a romance noval and a story of triumph. This history is not African-American, but Minority-American. Little is known or even spoken of "CREOLE" America, none the less this is part of our history. An EXCELLENT book if you would like to research your roots to the people of CANE RIVER. Better than "ROOTS".

This book was so inspiring and empowering to me. Finlay I was able to fill in the blanks from the stories I was told as a child. Like a breath of fresh air.

I have purchased this book for all of my children, so that they have the history of our family 8 generations ago. So many people have no idea about their heritage-we know so much. I sincerely thank the authors & printers of this book for giving us this remarkable history.

I picked my copy up at a yard sale primarily because it was a genealogy book. I started reading and am now really caught up in the history of these people. There is much we can learn from this society where people had common goals, helped each other, and as a result built a strong society. I find it criminal that their way of life, buildings, etc are destroyed. Reminds us of the stupidity of war, bigotry, and misuse of power.

What most do not realize if they are not from this area, is the creole/mullato are much more french than they are black & most do not consider themselves as black. I do not mean this to be demeaning to the African Americans of this country, but they are not familiar with many Creole/Mullatos that I know personally, as I grew up in that area of Grant/Natchitoches parish.