Author speaks about historical nonfiction novel

Miantae Metcalf McConnell’s creative nonfiction historical biography, “Deliverance Mary Fields: A Montana History,” deftly answers the question of how did an independent black woman on the frontier in central Montana in the late 1800s manage to live independently without being murdered.

The book also engages the reader in Montana’s early historical journey through the true life of an emancipated slave whose gritty determination out persists the many social and economic — and severe environmental — challenges of Montana’s early statehood. It is also a heart-warming story of struggle, perseverance, and the sustaining bonds of loving friendship and compassion across human nature’s temporary divides.

The book is available at the Whitefish Community Library and McConnell will speak on Monday, June 10 at the library at 7 p.m. The event is free.

Being black in late 19th Century Montana often meant social isolation and discrimination for Mary Fields. At the turn of the century, there were relatively few blacks in Montana — 1,523 African-Americans out of a total population of 243,329 and primarily in the cities of Helena and Butte. Segregation, relegation to menial unskilled jobs and exclusion from restaurants and services were the discriminatory norm. Additionally, violence was used as the ultimate enforcer of the social norms.

“Mary Fields’s house burning down, not only did it happen, it happened within a month of her registering for the vote [in Cascade in February 1912],” said McConnell.

While Mary Fields certainly persisted through Montana’s social challenges, her story also incorporates many heart-warming relationships across several of Montana’s social divides and continually returns us to author McConnell’s underlying exploration of Montana’s multi-layered social historical journey.

Strengthening Mary Fields’ ties into the local community are her significant involvement with community organizations, including being the mascot for the town’s baseball team, and especially her deep caring relationships with Cascade’s children.

“I was very fortunate to track down the last living person who knew Mary Fields, Cascade Mayor DW Monroe’s son, Earl Monroe,” said McConnell.

McConnell recalled that Monroe was very fond of Mary and remembered her giving the kids treats of fresh fruit and hard candies, and she would sing them songs, while babysitting them.

Mary Fields’ deep community involvement and extended family also seems to answer the original question of how an independent black woman on the frontier in central Montana in that era of the late 1800s was able to survive.

Steven Durand is a retired professor of history and political science at the University of Maryland, Europe.