The Twelve-Mile Straight Summary
Eleanor Henderson

The Twelve-Mile Straight Overview

In the Southern Gothic tradition, Eleanor Henderson's multigenerational epic illustrates how the legacy of slavery and racial trauma shapes four families in rural Georgia during the Great Depression. The novel begins with the birth of twins, one black, and one white, and the lynching of Genus Jackson, a black field hand. Told from multiple perspectives, it highlights themes of intergenerational trauma, kinship, and the absurdity of racial segregation.