Summary

In Chapter 15, Manford Rawls drove Elma, Nan, and the babies to his son's lab at Emory University in Atlanta. Manford told the girls that his son, Oliver, had polio as a child, and that he studied sickle cells, a disorder of which is common in African-Americans. Manford said that Genus' autopsy revealed that he had the disorder, which was hereditary. Manford continued, saying it was a shame Ketty cut out Nan’s tongue because there was no need; the illness in Ketty’s mouth — and her mother’s before her — was because of their habit of chewing on tobacco leaves. Nan was disturbed by this revelation.

Once they arrived at Emory, Nan overheard Manford tell Oliver that he bet that Wilson belonged to Juke and one of his “colored girls.” They also discussed George Wilson, and how Manford often gave abortions to the...