Daughters of the Dust

The Wilkerson land is an especially beautiful and fertile plot of land, given to Trinity Wilkerson after the Civil War as part of her “40 acres.” In Daughters of the Dust, the Wilkerson land symbolizes the way that the past converges on the present. The phrase “40 acres and a mule” refers to Special Field Orders No. 15, issued in 1865 by William Sherman. Under these orders, 400,000 acres of land along the Atlantic coast were set aside, with the intention of being redistributed in parcels of “40 acres” to formerly enslaved people. This order was ultimately short-lived, with most of the redistributed land returned to its previous white owners over the following years. The phrase “40 acres and a mule” has since come to symbolize the failure to provide adequate reparations for free Black people after the Civil War.

The discovery of the remains of enslaved people on the Wilkerson property, shackled together and thrown into a shallow grave, symbolizes the persistence of slavery’s traumatic legacy. No matter how much anyone tries to bury or forget the past, the old pain literally finds its way to the surface. The reemergence of this generational trauma affects even those who were born after the abolition of slavery; for example, Lucy’s childhood dream of building a home on the land is shattered by the unearthing of the remains. The discovery of the remains also prompts Miz Emma Julia to tell the story of the Sorcerer and the murder of its passengers. She suggests that the only way to put the dead to rest is to perform a traditional African burial ritual. This ritual once again mingles the past and the present as Miz Emma Julia calls on the old spirits to settle the restless souls.

After the remains are given a proper burial, the Wilkerson field blooms with flowers. At first, this is seen as a miracle, strengthening the community’s faith in the old deities and symbolizing the importance of preserving the old ways. Later, it is revealed that Ol’ Trent has painstakingly planted the flowers himself, hoping to bring happiness instead of pain. This revelation recontextualizes the symbol of the flowers, which now represent the role of community care in helping its members to heal from trauma.