Overview
Stumbling Blocks and Other Unfinished Work serves as the basis for the recovery project on Delores Phillips, but there are materials that, due to spatial constraints, the volume cannot accommodate. The following Bonus content presents a sampling of some of that material. It includes reviews of Phillips’s first novel, The Darkest Child, more images from Phillips’s life, photos from Steverson’s journey through the recovery process, and a Wikipedia project on The Darkest Child.
Key
- Reviews of The Darkest Child
- Images from Phillips’s Life
- Photos from Steverson’s journey
- Wikipedia Project: The Darkest Child
Reviews of The Darkest Child
The Darkest Child (2004) was the only novel published in Delores Phillips’s lifetime. It follows the Quinn family as they attempt to survive and escape racism, lynchings, and poverty in Jim Crow Georgia during the 1950s. Due to the novel’s depiction of the harsh realities of the Jim Crow South coupled with a colorful cast of characters and a fast-paced plot, the novel was generally well-received by many critics, but also –as this sampling of reviews demonstrates –some reviewers were highly critical of her writing style and character development.
Sampling of Reviews in Chronological Order
“Review of The Darkest Child.” Kirkus Review, 1 Oct. 2003.
Chadwell, Faye A. Review of The Darkest Child. Library Journal, 1 Oct. 2003.
Kenan, Randall. “In the Devil’s House.” The New Leader, Dec. 2003.
Martin, Lee. “Cruel and Unusual.” Washington Post, 11 Jan. 2004.
Review of The Darkest Child. Publisher’s Weekly, 26 Jan. 2004.
McKanic, Arlene. “Delores Quinn’s Darkest Child Is An Arresting First.” Caribbean Life, 10 Feb. 2004, 54.
Skurnick, Lizzie. “Song of the South.” New York Times, 28 March 2004.
Sykes, Shirley. “Tale of Abusive Mother Abounds with Violence.” The Commercial Appeal, 18. Apr. 2004.
Moore, Jacquie B. “What Mama Has on Her Mind.” Black book Review, April 2004.
More Images of Phillips’s life
Miller Children with their mother, Annie Ruth Banks, in the 1960s. From left to right: Delores, Greg, Annie Ruth, Skip, Linda
Delores’s degree certificate from Cleveland State University
Delores (left) and sister, Linda, at a library book signing for The Darkest Child
Delores (seated) signing books at Hampton University in 2005
The sign language book Phillips used to teach herself sign language.
One of the jesters in Phillips’s home. She really liked jesters and one of her poems is called “Jesters.”
Photos from Steverson’s Recovery Journey
Shalana (left), Linda (center), Steverson (right) engaged in discussion about Delores in 2019.
Building and organizing Delores Phillips’s archive.
Steverson (center), interviewing Delores’s brother, Greg (left), with Linda (seated), and Shalana (standing) in 2019.
Linda (left) and Shalana (right) pose in front of artwork depicting the four generations of women in their family.
Wikipedia Project
A crucial part of Steverson’s recovery process was to increase Phillips’s digital presence. As one of the assignments in her undergraduate classes at the University of Alabama, she engages students in a Wikipedia project—an eight-week endeavor focused on creating or improving the Wikipedia pages of underrepresented African American authors, texts, and history. In her Fall 2023 course, “21st Century Black Southern Literature,” students read parts of Stumbling Blocks and The Darkest Child. One student was really moved by Phillips’s work and was shocked to learn that there was no Wikipedia page dedicated to Phillips’s novel. Therefore, she decided to dedicate her time to creating a new page for The Darkest Child.
You can check out her work (and even add to it) here. Phillips’s author page is still sparse and would also benefit from an update.