The American Daughters

By Maurice Carlos Ruffin

Book Overview

"An enthralling tale of a secret resistance movement run by Black women in pre-Civil War New Orleans."--Time

"Stirring . . . In telling this important, neglected history with imagination-fueled research, The American Daughters offers an inspiring story of people who show a way forward with their perseverance, bravery and love."--The New York Times Book Review (Editors' Choice)

AN ELECTRIC LIT AND KIRKUS REVIEWS BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR

Ady, a curious, sharp-witted girl, and her fierce mother, Sanite, are inseparable. Enslaved to a businessman in the French Quarter of New Orleans, the pair spend their days reminiscing about their family's rebellious and storied history and dreaming of a loving future. When mother and daughter are separated, Ady is left hopeless and directionless until she stumbles into the Mockingbird Inn and meets Lenore, a free Black woman with whom she becomes fast friends. Lenore invites Ady to join a clandestine society of spies called the Daughters. With the courage instilled in her by Sanite--and with help from these strong women--Ady learns how to put herself first. So begins her journey toward liberation and imagining a new future.

The American Daughters is a novel of hope and triumph that reminds us what is possible when a community bands together to fight for their freedom.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0593729412
• ISBN13: 9780593729410
• Release Date: March 2025
• Publisher: Random House Publishing Group
• Length: 304 Pages
• Weight: 0.56 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 5.1" x 8.0"