Part I (1852): Chapters 1 - 5 Summary

The novel opens with six slaves sitting in a circle outside a cabin at the Tawawa House Resort, chewing on flowers, gossiping. The slaves are all regulars, having built up relationships over the years of traveling with their masters: Lizzie, Reenie, and Sweet are all mistresses to their white masters, twins Henry and George, and Philip are all slave men, so entrusted by their masters that they have been brought to the free state of Ohio to help during their masters' vacation. While they sit, braiding each other's hair, a new slave woman with firey red hair and freckled skin approaches them. Her name is Mawu. The other slaves are smitten with her because of her unique look and invite her to join them. After Mawu sits, George announces that he's heard of a resort nearby for...