Daughters of the Dust

Published in 1999, Julie Dash’s Daughters of the Dust is a historical fiction novel based on her acclaimed film of the same name. Daughters of the Dust is a stand-alone narrative that follows the lives of the Peazants, a Gullah-Geechee family living primarily on Dawtuh Island off the South Carolina coast. The narrative blends magical realism, myth, and history as it follows the journey of Amelia Varnes, an estranged descendant of the Peazants who returns to Dawtuh Island to trace the history of her family. Through Amelia’s journey, Dash explores themes of History, Storytelling, and Identity, Cultural Preservation Versus Progress, and The Importance of Family and Community.

This guide refers to the 2021 Penguin Random House digital edition.

Content Warning: Daughters of the Dust contains descriptions of sexual abuse, sexual assault, suicide, enslavement, racism, racist violence, and racial slurs that are only replicated in direct quotations in this guide.

Plot Summary

The novel begins by describing the emergence of a chain of islands off the North Atlantic coast. Home to rich flora and fauna, these islands become an attractive settling point for various civilizations. During the 1800s, enslaved people from Central and West Africa are brought to the islands.