Summary

Chapter 9 is titled “Ella May." It is dated Sunday, May 26, 1929. Sophia and Ella are leaving a union rally. They see two police officers, Tom Gibson and Albert Roach, and Sophia blows them a kiss. Three weeks have passed since Ella attended that first rally. She has traveled to Washington, D.C., and the experiences have changed her. She tells Charlie she is pregnant, and he accuses her of cheating. He spends more time away. Ella wants the blacks who live at Stumptown to be part of the union and they are expecting Hampton Haywood to arrive in Gaston County to help rally support for that. They talk about the plan, including that they will keep this visit secret until Hampton arrives. They see a union member with a gun and Sophia reminds him they are not supposed to have weapons away from the union...