Shara Moon's thoughtful debut novel, Let Us March On, provides a distinctive perspective on the U.S. civil rights movement through the voice of Elizabeth "Lizzie" McDuffie, a real historical figure who spent 12 years working for President Franklin Delano Roosevelt as a maid and unofficial civil rights liaison. Narrated by Lizzie, the novel traces the major events of Roosevelt's time in office and examines the long struggle for Black Americans to live freely and without fear.
Moon takes readers inside FDR's White House, sharing the day-to-day experiences of Lizzie and her husband, Mac, who worked as Roosevelt's personal valet for years. Although Mac is hesitant to push the president on civil rights issues, Lizzie feels the weight of their position as a Black couple who have FDR's ear. As she receives hundreds of letters from fellow Black Americans, Lizzie shares their concerns with the president and his wife, Eleanor, eventually becoming FDR's "SASOCPA" ("self-appointed secretary on colored people's affairs"). She even makes a few campaign appearances when FDR decides to run for a second term.
Moon's narrative brings the Great Depression to life through Lizzie's sharp-eyed observations and her deep regard for the president and his family, and the letters from ordinary Americans struggling to make their voices heard. Moon deftly depicts how Lizzie balances her housekeeping duties, her civil rights work, and her loving but complicated marriage to Mac. Let Us March On is a compelling portrait of a woman determined to fight for her people and serve her country with integrity and grace. --Katie Noah Gibson, blogger at Cakes, Tea and Dreams