Sadeqa Johnson’s “The Keeper of Lost Children” Resurrection of WWII-Era Philadelphia Strikes a Chord
Philadelphia, PA – In her latest novel, The Keeper of Lost Children, best-selling author Sadeqa Johnson turns the clock back to 1948, reconstructing a Philadelphia that pulses with the rhythm of Count Basie, the bustle of Strawbridge’s department store, and the vibrant community life of South Philly block parties. Released this week, the novel delves into the often-overlooked history of African American soldiers and the mixed-race children left behind in post-WWII Germany.
Deep Search: Unearthing the “Brown Babies” of the Occupation
While the novel is anchored in the familiar streets of Philadelphia, its narrative scope expands significantly to Occupied Germany. The story intertwines the lives of three distinct characters: Ethel Gathers, the wife of an American officer in 1950s Germany who becomes a champion for the abandoned mixed-race children of Black GIs and German women; Ozzie Phillips, a Philadelphia native who joins the newly desegregated Army in 1948 hoping to escape the racial confines of home; and Sophia Clark, a teenager in 1965 Maryland whose discovery of a family secret bridges the timeline.
Johnson, a Philadelphia native herself, emphasized her deep connection to the setting. “Philly is in my soul. When I sit down and paint pictures of historical moments in Philadelphia, I get to go home,” she told The Philadelphia Inquirer. The book sheds light on the “Brown Baby Plan,” a real-life initiative driven by African American women to adopt these unwanted children when both German society and the U.S. government turned a blind eye.
Background Info: A City in Transition
The Philadelphia of 1948 was a city on the precipice of change. While the war effort had provided economic opportunities, the return of Black veterans often meant facing the same segregation and Jim Crow attitudes they had fought against abroad.
Strawbridge & Clothier: Once a retail giant on Market Street, Strawbridge’s was a cultural touchstone for Philadelphians, representing a specific era of urban consumerism that Johnson painstakingly recreates.
The Musical Landscape: The reference to Count Basie highlights the rich jazz heritage of the city, which was a major stop on the “Chitlin’ Circuit” and a hub for Black musical innovation during the Swing Era and the transition to Bebop.
Historical Context: The desegregation of the armed forces by President Truman in 1948 serves as a critical backdrop for Ozzie’s character arc, illustrating the friction between federal policy and on-the-ground reality for Black soldiers.
Objections: The Challenge of Triple Timelines
While early reviews praise Johnson’s meticulous research and emotional resonance, some critics note the inherent difficulty in balancing three separate timelines and points of view.
Pacing Concerns: Shifting between 1948 Philadelphia, 1950s Germany, and 1965 Maryland can risk diluting the tension of individual story arcs. Readers seeking a singular, linear narrative may find the toggling requires close attention to track the converging plotlines.
Emotional Weight: The subject matter—abandonment, systemic racism, and identity crises—is heavy. While necessary for the historical truth Johnson aims to tell, the relentless nature of the characters’ struggles might be overwhelming for some readers looking for lighter historical escapism.
Rose-Colored Glasses? There is always a risk in historical fiction of romanticizing elements like “block parties” and “tunes” while juxtaposing them against severe trauma. However, Johnson appears to use these elements not to glaze over history, but to humanize the communities that survived it.
The Keeper of Lost Children is available now from major retailers.
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