Metty Pellicer’s new book on sale from the publisher’s website, Invisible History: Growing Up Colored in Cape Charles, Virginia
by A Memoir by Tom Godwin, As Told To Metty Vargas Pellicer.
A personal recollection of growing up Black in Cape Charles, Virginia that is surprising in its details of family and community life and how robust was the parallel universe that evolved in response to the segregation of the Jim Crow era. This one man’s account hopefully will contribute to move the races towards equality and social justice.
The book is a memoir about growing up Black in Cape Charles, Virginia on the Eastern Shore of the Chesapeake. It details the origin of the town as a railroad terminus and connecting to ferry barges across the Chesapeake Bay to Norfolk, through its golden age in the Jim Crow South and its decline with the ascendancy of automobiles and the building of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel. Its rise again as a tourist destination in the past decade and how the fortunes of the town is chronicled, without acknowledgment of the role of the Black community, which was a robust and thriving parallel community, that evolved in response to the segregation of the Jim Crow South. Now the town is rising again as a tourist destination and replacing the Black section with White weekend second home owners, and the Black presence has considerably diminished. Without a recording of its history, its entire memory will be gone, as if it was never there at all.
The memoir details the life of one Black man who is the grandson of a slave but became the first elected Black member of the Town Council and the first Black member elected to the Northampton County Board of Supervisors. It addresses Black and White relations and the experience of being Black and how one navigates the Jim Crow racist era. By reading this account of a Black man’s life one may develop a better understanding of why we are experiencing still racial injustice and inequality, after legal barriers had been abolished by the passage of the Civil Rights Act in 1964.
Its target audience would be all who are interested, both Blacks and Whites, in learning how they still carry the legacy of slavery in their hearts and how it informs their behavior at present and how by acknowledging their racist beliefs, they can choose to correct them, with actions that help realize the dream of true equality of the races and fulfill the lofty promise of the Revolution: its declaration of the self- evident truth, that all men are created equal, with unalienable rights to Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.
Available below at the publisher’s and will be available at Amazon, Barnes and Noble , Walmart and other outlets in a few weeks.
Use the discount code Save20, to get 20% discount on your order below.
https://booklocker.com/11257
Allison MillsDuncan says
I purchased the online format of this book this morning and read it today. What a wonderful book ! I am about 10 years younger than Mr. Godwin and grew up in Cape Charles. I graduated from Cape Charles HighSchool and remembered some of the people he mentions.
Stuart Bell says
Well, Good for You!
Scotiagirl says
Have my order in with Amazon but book not in yet. Looking for to reading it!
Stuart Bell says
Why do you think anyone, other than you, really cares what you order from Amazon or read?
Take your time now and be honest. No knee-jerk responses.
Really, Why do you think anyone would care?
Scotiagirl says
Hmmm, did not expect such a nasty comment but I am relatively new to this format. To clarify, I thought perhaps that others who look forward to reading this book might want to know that, while it seems unavailable most places at the moment, it can be ordered through Amaxon. I suppose my “take away” from your post is that I should keep my shopping and reading preferences to my self, so as not to offend you.
Stuart Bell says
Try again, and also explain what is ‘Nasty’?
Why do you think anyone, other than you, really cares what you order from Amazon or read?
Take your time now and be honest. No knee-jerk responses.
Really, Why do you think anyone would care?
Paul Plante says
Of course you shouldn’t keep your shopping and reading preferences to yourself if you feel like sharing them.
Why deprive those who might appreciate what you have to say by not saying it?
And the simple answer to Stuart’s question would be you did whatever you did because you felt like doing it.
don green says
Agreed, Mr. Plante. Mr. Bell’s posts usually reflect a particular, hostile ignorance. I find them without value and mostly counterproductive.
Mr. Bell says
No, I asked them why they felt like people would care if they read or ordered this book.
Simple question, no answers.
Paul Plante says
But is it really necessary to consider whether people will care or not before saying something?
I got the feeling she didn’t really give a damn whether people cared what she said or not.
I’m not against that.
Martha Parks says
There are showing their support of the colored folks, which is so very popular for liberals to do, at this time in American his-story.
Scotiagirl says
LIBERAL…ME??? I think NOT!
MJM says
I have no problem with Metty Pellicer writing a book about growing up colored in Cape Charles. I have no problem with someone wanting to read it. I don’t read every book out there and have no real interest in this one, but defend anyone’s right to read or write it.
At the same time I wonder why we get rid of “colored only” water fountains and then years later pass legislation referred to as “affirmative action” as referred to in this week’s letter to the editor. We still can’t just find the best person for the house or the job ? Isn’t that then a minorities only job placement service ? Maybe I’d better look. There might be colored only water fountains out there now, and no white ones. Is that where we are headed ?
Now our advertising promotes products to all minorities and women and the white men are beheaded. Yeah I get that catalogue, and shake my head at it’s message.
The whiners are whining loud and too many are listening to them. It’s okay to disagree. I do.
If we do want to promote percentages to make things equal, then go ahead. But we are not. That has somehow flipped to promoting minorities and women, and beheading the white guy. That’s allowed ? As Justice Thomas so eloquently put it “this has become a high tech lynching”.
Silicone Valley obviously promotes Biden and removes The Posts negative story about Biden, but for years printed the lies about Trump and Russiagate ? Lying to voters ? This is free speech ?
More and more the whiners are winning. We refuse to learn our lessons of history, so we tear down our statues ?
I don’t see that all Americans are learning understanding and moving forward, and I see that all too many have a cancel culture of some sort in their methodology.
I don’t think it’s hard to let folks opine on any level w/o attacking them or cancelling their past.
Think globally and act locally. Ever heard of that ? Just sayin…..
And I think Scotiagirl is demonstrating an open mind and desire for knowledge. That’s a really good thing. Not a liberal mind.
Stuart Bell says
The North American Negroes will never get the respect they desire until they stop acting like North American Ni&&ers. For the last 50 years they have been very successful at ‘self-segregation’ after begging to be allowed to integrate. Pull your pants up (no one wants to see your rear end), turn your hat around (you are not a catcher and the brim keeps the sun out of your eyes), cut off those Dread-Locks (they were designed to give the wearer a ‘Dread’ appearance), stop committing over 75% of violent crime (you people are only 13% of our population), assimilate (this does not come as a government hand out), get off the public assistance (the rest of us do not want to help you), and most of all drop the ‘African’ in African-American. You people are so American you still pass Master’s last name on to your babies (but claim that you are hurt by the thought of slavery). Most of all, Please Get a Grip on Yourselves…
Richard Shannonhouse says
You might consider taking the log out of your own eye before removing the splinter from you neighbor’s. While freedom of speech is our right your “racist rant” undermines that basic freedom and reflects more about the speaker than anything else.
Stuart Bell says
I am Free, White, and over 21….I will do as I damn well please.
Stuart Bell says
Very valid point…..The North American Negroes marched, cried, died, sang, prayed, had dogs turned on them, were beaten, hung, maimed, raped ect. all the while begging to be allowed to Integrate/Assimilate. It has been over 50 years since they were allowed to try. They have failed miserably and now they appear Self-Segregated. They have chosen to now turn on the police, a battle that they will never win. The Chicano has already taken their place as a viable work force. The pendulum is about to swing again. The negro has already been left behind.
WLM says
A seventy percent illegitimacy rate, an equally egregious school dropout rate, functional illiteracy and unemployability, failed parenting and families, and grossly disproportional criminality–that’s Black America! No surprise, here he’s just another example of the totally dysfunctional 13%!
Stuart Bell says
The truth hurting you, is it? How about debate the diatribe? I do not care about your hate or who or what you feel is racist, bless your heart. You sound like a liberal loon and I no longer view liberals as my fellow Americans. You all have worn out your welcome.
Richard Shannonhouse says
“…hate speech is any form of expression though which speakers intend to vilify, humiliate, or incite hatred against a group or class of persons on the basis of race, religion skin color, sexual identity, gender identity, disability or national origin”. (Kenneth Ward, 52 U. Miami L. Rev 733, 1998).
The spewing of “hate speech” reflects less about the topic and more about the darkness in one’s soul.
Slide Easy says
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k6p1Ck0ab80
Todd Holden says
What are you prepared to do about it?
Tony Pruitt says
You would do well to put your big boy pants on and grow a set. We The People no longer wish to coddle you or them.
MJM says
A very intelligent black female reporter named Candace Owens is a very interesting individual to listen to. She is very much for the empowerment of women, and I believe appears to be a very fair minded person. During the recent Supreme Court Justice hearings she shared a very interesting opinion. Of course Roe v Wade was a topic then and she had no fear of diving in. Me ? I’m a guy and lean towards thinking that R. Northam is disgusting with his ideas, but abortion should not be completely illegal. My opinion is unclear, falls somewhere in the middle, and I think needs to be mostly up to the woman and her circumstance. In the meantime Candace says that a lot of folks don’t realize that Planned Parenthood was founded by a flat out self promoting racist. She did not like blacks at all. Candace says if we track the founding of the buildings and agency locations we’d notice Planned Parenthood buildings did not start in affluent suburbs, but in mostly black cities. Interesting stat from her is that at this point in time, on average, 1,000 black babies are aborted every day and if abortion was illegal, the black population in America would be twice what it is. How would that change America ? Is it planned genocide ? Are blacks being led down the wrong path ?
Paul Plante says
Are you saying they are truly incapable of thinking for themselves?
Sounds it, anyway.
MJM says
a contrer Paul, it simply is what it is, and too complicated from all sides for me to thoroughly calculate, or correct. Hence the reason I pointed out, and asked, w/o offering a solution.
In the absence of true leadership it is amazing what some people will sadly do. They don’t think for themselves, and then when 1/2 the black population is gone, they remove white men from magazine ads, and now t.v. Did you hear the statement from and about reality shows ? They will now be 1/2 minorities announced this week. Not that I watch or care. Now there is a solution to our anger based social problem. Put more minorities on t.v, or is it in a zoo ?
Take for example our current democrat/socialist/ communist/progressive party, and their complete lack of leadership. Raging crybabies with no direction. Their supposed leaders are going to take all of America on the embryonic journey of a miss-directed child. An experiment of mob rule with no solid foundation in workable values. No history of those “values” working anywhere prior to this time, but the journey will begin if Trump doesn’t win his lawsuits. Is it the genocide of republican and conservative values starting with the theft of an election and a rape of the entire voting process ?
How could we possibly have been miss-directed and allowed foreign made voting machines and their software into this process ? That’s a lot dumber, or purposely planned for another side, than having a high school basketball referee officiate the Super Bowl. Just what has been going on in that swamp over there ? Looks like a lot of swamp creatures have truly stuck their heads above the surface.
Paul Plante says
No arguments whatsoever and thanks for the chuckle on the side.
I have always been of the impression that regardless of what color your skin might be, you are responsible for your actions and their consequences, period!
happy to be a come here says
I received my copy of the book this past week and am nearly finished reading it. I enjoyed learning about people and places in Cape Charles, through the eyes of someone who grew up and still lives in the town. The one thing I did find offensive was on page 64, in which the author speculates that the KKK is still alive and well on the Eastern Shore, simply based on that unfortunate incident a while back in which someone from North Carolina (it was ultimately determined) threw racist propaganda onto people’s yards in Cape Charles. That kind of speculation is a hurtful, unfounded depiction of the people who live in Cape Charles. A serious writer would not have put something like that into a serious book, especially if she claims to love the town.
Scotiagirl says
Well..received my copy from Amazon, just as I mentioned in an earlier post (that some of you did not like) and here I am again with comments for which I will probably be further vilified: I love the title. I love the picture on the front cover. I hate the book. I found it to be trite, unimportant, pandering, poorly written and a waste of time. If anyone would like to have it, don’t spend the money. Just tell me under which rock I should place it and come fetch it.
Paul Plante says
Enjoyed the book review and appreciated it, as well.
And that is true democracy in action, speaking out like that, even if there might be people out there who would like to stifle your voice.
And you definitely have a good future out ahead of you as a book critic for the New York Times!
Or the Washington Post!
Mr. Bell says
don green says
NOVEMBER 8, 2020 AT 3:31 PM
Agreed, Mr. Plante. Mr. Bell’s posts usually reflect a particular, hostile ignorance. I find them without value and mostly counterproductive.
mr. bell says
……Anytime you wish to discuss my diatribes, leave a number and I will call you ASAP……
Mr. Bell says
‘Paul Plante says
NOVEMBER 10, 2020 AT 10:27 PM
But is it really necessary to consider whether people will care or not before saying something?’
No, I asked, simply, Why She Thought OTHERS Would Care What She Bought or Read.
How hard is it for you to understand that?
Paul Plante says
I seriously doubt she did care.
I wouldn’t.
If I was in a thread where the subject was a book, and I felt like making a comment about the book or my buying or reading habits for some reason in my mind sufficient to motivate me to exert myself enough to comment, I would do it.
What anybody else cares about is no concern of mine whatsoever.
And I liked the question.
It was a good question, well phrased and concise, not some trick question someone in the legal trade would try to snare you with.
I thought it fitting, if not appropriate, but then, who is to judge!
I only thought she could have been more to the point in giving you a shorter answer, is all, instead of getting consternated about being asked the question.
You know, cut to the chase, and then get there!
Paul Plante says
And for the record, I had absolutely no problem whatsoever with Mr. Bell’s questions or his right to ask them in an open forum such as this where the main stream media censorship and FACEBOOK type repression of speech is not practiced.
Rather, I was giving her my thoughts as an older observer in here knowing that she is not from Scotia, New York, where incidentally, BLACK LIVES MATTER went after a dude selling ice cream and destroyed his business because they could, for sport, but Nova Scotia up in Canada, where their ways are different than ours, what with them being Canadians, and all, while we are not, on other options for dealing with Mr. Bell’s legitimate questions.
For example, in answer to Mr. Bell’s question “Why She Thought OTHERS Would Care What She Bought or Read,” she could have simply said in reply and politely so, “Whatever I thought I thought because I am free, white and 21 and if you don’t like it, give me a phone number and we will talk about.”
Mr. Bell says
I’m still waiting on your phone number from a couple years ago when your lack of discretion caused me to have to call you out and ask for it. It is a very quick way to cull out the keyboard warriors. Over the last 15 years I have asked for hundreds of their phone numbers…not one had the balls to leave one.
Paul Plante says
I actually don’t have a phone number.
I live out in the country and it isn’t worth them running phone service out here, and since I don’t call anyone and nobody calls me, it works out fine.
And what are you going to tell me in a phone call?
That you are going to kick my ass?
Over the phone?
And what purpose do you think that is going to fulfill?
Mr. Bell says
No, I would hope you would come to your senses before it when that far.
Paul Plante says
Mr. Bell, let me tell you that telling somebody over the phone that you are going to kick their ass and actually being able to do it are two whole different things, and talking about it over the phone doesn’t get the deed done, and if you are stupid enough to come looking for me in my woods to kick my ass, you’re a real fool is all I can say.
Bring somebody with you that can haul you to the hospital after would be my advice, because I sure as hell am not going to bother.
I’ll just take you by the heel and drag you out by the side of the road and leave you there, and then you can make your own way the rest of the way home, a little wiser than you were the day before.
Paul Plante says
Tell you what, when you kick my ass, send me a fax so I’ll know it happened and don’t miss out on it.
BR-549 is the number to call to send me a fax.
Stuart Bell says
You would do well to thank me for all the times that I have taken up for your silly a$$ on this site and then run along and type your silly diatribes.
Paul Plante says
And I do appreciate it, Stuart, and my goodness, I said I had no problems with your questions, so I’m uncertain what there is to get so upset about.
Paul Plante says
I don’t have a phone for the same reason I don’t have a TV, Mr. Bell – because I am not at all interested in what might be coming over the wire on either of them, being low on tolerance on bull**** as I am.
tokenny says
Tell you what big bad Stewie. Why don’t you give me your number and I’ll give you a call? There you go Mr Internet Muscle Head. Calling your bluff. Lets see how big those balls are?
Stuart Bell says
This from someone I have called out for years? You post your diarrhea with a fake moniker and attempt to call my bluff? I do not bluff. Do your research on who and what I really am.
Go funk yourself with a chinese vibrator or post your punk-a$$ name.
What’s your name little girl, What’s your name?
tokenny says
Like I thought .. no balls. All show.
Larry Parks says
Your post shows just how removed you really are from being a ‘local’ on The Shore. See, if you were not a come-here, you would know his mom and dad are still living and would gladly give you his phone number. So go to your local Starbucks and sip bad coffee with the other liberals. Calling someone out while using a fake name, not giving your real name when asked numerous times, makes you look completely crazy. A Crazy Come-Here. You may want to leave those Bell’s alone.
tokenny says
LOL, you want me to call his mom-mom for his phone number? Once again I’ll ask you to prove that you are Larry Parks. Can you do it?
It’s not about a name, it’s about what you write and how you conduct yourself. Mr “Bad Ass” has been calling out people for quite a long time. How can he expect us whinny, scared people to give him our phone number if he doesn’t have the balls to give us his? It shows his maturity.
Larry Parks says
tokenny says
November 13, 2020 at 6:17 pm
LOL, you want me to call his mom-mom for his phone number? Once again I’ll ask you to prove that you are Larry Parks. Can you do it?
It’s not about a name, it’s about what you write and how you conduct yourself. Mr “Bad Ass” has been calling out people for quite a long time. How can he expect us whinny, scared people to give him our phone number if he doesn’t have the balls to give us his? It shows his maturity.
LOL! I will tell you like they told me in the military…Put what you want in one hand and your sh1t in the other and see which one fills up faster.
Calling someone out while using a fake name, not giving your real name when asked numerous times, makes you look completely crazy.
You may want to leave those Bell’s alone.
tokenny says
Funny you never answered the request to prove who you are? Maybe you don’t exactly understand how things work in the internet world.
Oh by the way pretty childish of you posting those comments supposedly attributed to me in Should Mayor Dize Resign? and BLM and Antifa Attack Citizens at Freedom Rally
Tell me how I know? Yeah, it’s quite obvious you’re a fucking idiot. I’m surprised the military actually took you with such a low IQ.
tokenny says
Wow, you really think this is a real world? This is a place where a 60 year old black woman can post as a 40 year old mexican man or a 20 year old white boy can post as a 80 year old black woman. This is far from real, but the cheapest fun one can have, messing with people like you.
tokenny says
Messing with me??? Dude, do you think I care? You are just screwing Wayne and the Mirror and every other person that comments here but you are too stupid to realized that.
This is why your parents never gave you anything – either you were too dumb to figure out how they worked or you just broke them. Child proof caps were invented for people like you and you still can’t open them at your age.
What’s amusing is that you’re all proud of yourself. Just what did you accomplish? I’ll answer that for you, nothing. Kinda like what you have accomplished in life.
Have fun
Note: C’mon brother, take a breath, go back to having fun with this stuff like you normally do.
tokenny says
‘Messing with me??? Dude, do you think I care?’
LOL! Bullseye!
Sure u care, just look at the tone of your response. You are too easy.