Pulitzer Prize Fiction Winner
Scarlet Sister Mary
by Julia Peterkin
Summary
On a former rice plantation in the South Carolina Lowcountry, the novel follows Mary, a vibrant young Gullah woman, through marriage, motherhood, hardship, and an enduring sense of joy across decades of community life. Peterkin writes in a lyrical register shaped by the rhythms of Gullah speech and folk belief, focusing on Black domestic life largely apart from white characters. The book's frank treatment of female desire and faith made it both celebrated and contested in its day.
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Historical Context & Significance
A white South Carolina plantation owner's wife wrote the book, and its intimate portrayal of Gullah community life stirred controversy. Peterkin based it on years of observation and conversation with the Black workers on her husband's plantation.