How Long 'Til Black Future Month?

After making love to her lover, Frank, on the coldest night in the history of Alabama, Emmaline falls asleep and dreams about The White Lady for a third time, making it certain the dream is a “prophecy” and not “just wasted sleep” (34). In the dream a voice warns her that “a White Lady a-comin” and thus Emmaline decides to “prepare” (35-36). Before she wakes, though, she is transported to a scene where black protestors are marching among a crowd of “angry” white people (36). She can tell the scene is about to turn bloody but wakes up before she can do anything about it. Awake now, Emmaline ushers Frank off to work while neglecting her daughter, Pauline, who is also suffering from nightmares.

As spring takes over Alabama, Emmaline finds a lot of work as a healer. With Pauline by her side, Emmaline doles out “herbs and prayers” to the more unfortunate members of Pratt City (37). One of her customers, Nadine, asks for Emmaline’s help with an unwanted pregnancy. Emmaline agrees to help her although she “sigh[s]” when she finds out the father is white (39). With segregation having been recently legalized, racial tensions are high, and Emmaline takes into consideration that the issue is more complicated for Nadine than just having another mouth to feed.

Pauline helps her mother by “finding” an orange her mother can use in the recipe for Nadine (39). Although the orange is helpful, Emmaline punishes Nadine for taking a white person’s produce, even if she found it on the ground. Pauline explains that it fell out of a truck and that she asked the owner if he wanted it back, knowing he would say no because of her race. Emmaline sits Pauline down so she can explain that both race and gender could have caused that scenario to go sour since she is a pretty girl and vulnerable to unwanted sexual advances.

Shortly after, a richly dressed red-haired woman appears at Emmaline’s door and Emmaline immediately knows this is the White Lady of her dreams. Emmaline has Pauline fetch the woman a drink while she sizes up the woman and starts to become suspicious that the woman is there to “steal” her kids (42).

When Pauline arrives with the drink, she hesitates and keeps her distance, as she is also able to pick up on the woman’s bad vibes. The woman reads Pauline’s actions as disrespectful, but Emmaline defends her daughter, saying there are “lots of ways to show respect” (44). Pauline notices the white woman has a small, dejected-looking black girl following her. She accuses the white woman of being a “thief” who has robbed the young girl of her “power” (44). This upsets the white woman who quickly confirms Emmaline’s greatest fears by saying that Pauline’s bad behavior could easily be fixed by coming home to live with her instead of Emmaline. Emmaline adamantly refuses, but Pauline perks up when she hears the woman say “prosperity” and asks her to be more specific (47). The white woman explains that with racial tensions rising, Pauline’s family could be in a lot danger if they don’t accept the protection she is trying to offer.

Pauline asks to talk to her mother in private. Outside of the white woman’s earshot, Emmaline starts attacking Pauline, calling her out for being ignorant. Pauline says she does not believe her mother can protect her and reveals she had a dream where white and black people fought but then ended up happy together. She tells her mom this is proof that relations between the white and black races can be mended.

That night, Emmaline puts them all to bed and stays awake and aware with a gun. When she finally gets too sleepy to keep guard, she checks the children’s bedrooms and realizes Pauline has gone missing.

She borrows Frank’s mule and rides out to the deserted fairgrounds where she suspects she will find Pauline. When she arrives, Pauline and the white woman are standing together, having decided Pauline will live with the white woman. Emmaline is so upset she tries to attack the White Lady, but ends up falling to the ground. All around her she starts to see images from Pauline’s future. At first, the images show a black population that is still destitute, still oppressed, and she starts to get upset again, but then the images then reveal powerful black leaders and happy black communities. Emmaline realizes Pauline has the power to make all these images into reality. She offers to take Pauline’s place. Despite both Pauline and the White Lady’s initial rejection of this idea, this is what happens. Emmaline and the White Lady disappear, and Pauline wakes up motherless and cold at the fairgrounds.

Pauline and her little brothers’ lives unfold much as the dreams said they would. Pauline grows up to become a mayor and meets the first African-American president. Her brothers deal with racial violence but lead otherwise successful lives. The white community starts to weaken and change. The only thing that doesn’t change is Emmaline, who continues to work for the White Lady and to feel “satisfied” with her “motherly pride” (57). Pauline is sure to not let her mother’s legacy die, telling her story over and over to her grandchildren until she is sure it will stick.