Pauline Hopkins is someone whom more people should know. She was a historical figure in African American literature. I only heard of her because of the Martian Trilogy book recently released by Amazing Selects, which included a history of the fiction inserts in the Black newspapers, Hopkins edited those over the years, and this novel appeared in them. She was a journalist, Playwright, historian, and novelist.
She wrote plays and novels about race issues, the underground railroad,, and of course this novel with Sci-fi elements 24 years before the term was coined. first appeared in serial form in The Colored American Magazine from November 1902 to November 1903, during the four-year period in which Hopkins served as its editor. It has vibes that will remind readers of Frankenstein, Faust, and adventure pulps.
Of One Blood is the story of a black medical student who is not exactly interested in his roots until he is given a chance to join an expedition to Ethiopia. He intends to steal treasures but ends up getting a better understanding of the human race in general.
It is a spoiler, but he ends up the king of an African Utopia. It is a fascinating novel highlighting the thoughts and feelings of educated African Americans in an era just after slavery. There are ghosts, hidden kingdoms, and more. This storytelling is dated, but the book is important. I am more excited about learning about the author than the story, but really excited to read about it.
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