logo

57 pages 1 hour read

Daughters of the Dust

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 1997

A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.

Part 5, Chapters 11-13Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Part 5: “Dawtuh Island: October 1926”

Part 5, Chapter 11 Summary: “The Sorcerer as Told by Miz Emma Julia”

During the antebellum period, the Union army freed some enslaved people in the South and issued orders to halt the trading of enslaved people immediately. Many Southern enslavers continued their practice in secret to avoid fines and punishment. Among them was Montgomery Baxter, who commissioned a large, fast boat nicknamed the Sorcerer and continued to transport enslaved people for many years. A Union army captain named James Worthington learned about the existence of the Sorcerer and was eventually able to intercept Baxter in a small cove off Dawtuh Island; Baxter was on his way back from Africa. When Baxter realized he’d been cornered, he began throwing enslaved people overboard, and the heavy shackles caused men, women, and children to sink rapidly and drown. In the ensuing chaos, Baxter escaped to Florida on the Sorcerer. Days later, bodies began washing up on the island. The local plantation boss ordered other enslaved people to bury them, but they refused to obey him. He was forced to recruit poor white people to do the work. They performed their duties carelessly, burying the enslaved people in a shallow mass grave on the site that is now the Wilkerson land.

blurred text
blurred text
blurred text
blurred text
Unlock IconUnlock all 57 pages of this Study Guide

Plus, gain access to 8,650+ more expert-written Study Guides.

Including features:

+ Mobile App
+ Printable PDF
+ Literary AI Tools