The Goodness of St. Rocque and Other Stories (1899) is a short story
collection by Alice Dunbar Nelson. Dedicated to her husband at the time,
the poet Paul Laurence Dunbar, The Goodness of St. Rocque and Other
Stories is a collection of brief vignettes of Creole society in
nineteenth century New Orleans. Exploring themes of prejudice, faith,
and romance, Dunbar Nelson crafts a poignant and unforgettable work of
fiction. Manuela is a popular young woman of status in New Orleans'
thriving Creole community. Like many women her age, she hopes to marry a
handsome and successful man. Setting her sights on Theophile, she
prepares to be courted in the traditional manner of her people. When
rumor gets out that he has been spending time with Claralie, a beautiful
blonde, Manuela is forced to seek supernatural assistance. She visits a
seer known as the Wizened One, who advises her to pray at the altar of
St. Rocque. Determined and unwilling to give up what she believes will
be her destiny, she makes her way to the church to begin her first
novena. The Goodness of St. Rocque and Other Stories collects fourteen
stories of life in New Orleans' Creole community by Alice Dunbar Nelson,
a leading figure of the Harlem Renaissance. With a beautifully designed
cover and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of Alice
Dunbar Nelson's The Goodness of St. Rocque and Other Stories is a
classic of African American literature reimagined for modern readers.