Hobbstown, by Cindy Williams Newsome

'And justice for all' and 'love thy neighbor as thyself' noble life philosophies to be sure, but not if you're an African-American living in the South in the early 1900s. Many innocent people, whose only 'sin' was that of skin pigmentation, suffered horrific crimes, worked endlessly for a mere pittance, and endured stifling psychological torment. Cindy Williams Newsome's book, Hobbstown, presents these injustices and the rise of her oppressed ancestors in safety, spirit, and opportunity, when they migrate north to New Jersey. There they found space to breathe and build the first homes. The resulting village, Hobbstown, named after the first settlers, offered sanctuary from the bigots and narrow-minded oppressors of the South. Soon family members, friends, and neighbors came seeking their portion of America's dream.

In her family saga, Cindy Williams Newsome, chronicles the gradual rise from the 'slave' stigma thrust upon an entire people in the South to a lively and proud society in the North. Although race-based segregation often surfaced in nearby New Jersey communities, they used faith, family, and friendship to grow and prosper. Given better educational institutions, wages, and social environment, succeeding generations worked and leveraged their skills and talents to protect their community, pressure government agencies for equal treatment, and eventually build facilities for the use and enjoyment of succeeding generations.

Although Hobbstown is a story of human desperation it does not submerge the reader into endless pages of bitterness. Instead, it dwells on the positive aspects of human endeavor to survive in the face of hostilities and insults. Hobbstown, tweaks the conscience and the heart by presenting human triumph over prejudice and inequity. Its lesson must not be forgotten, lest history repeat itself. While the story covers a small geographical area, its message offers global hope for those oppressed. Recommended and three cheers for a well-told family story.

Review by, David S. Rosenberg, author