Mark L. Shurtleff's Blog
December 7, 2009
AFRICAN AMERICAN LITERATURE BOOK CLUB REVIEW
A stunning review of my historical nove, Am I Not A Man? The Dred Scott Story was recently posted on the African American Literature Book Club Website. The site is billed as "The #1 Site for 'Readers of Black Literature'" averaging over 900,000 unique visitors each month.
Renowned African American author and editor, Robert Fleming, wrote the following review:
"What a curious book to be written by Mark L. Shurtleff, Utah's Attorney General!
This well-researched historical novel, Am I Not A Man?, ...
October 15, 2009
FREEDOM
Who am I to tell this story? How can I, a white man from Utah possibly understand – let alone convey – what it was to be a SLAVE? Where is my legitimacy?
Six years studying and experiencing everying I possibly could about Dred Scott.
I have walked among the cotton fields and through the marshy swamps listening to the cicadas and feeling the wet heat of "The Olde Place" plantation in Southampton County VA where Dred was born "Sam Blow."
I have knelt in prayer at the slave cemetery, where Sam's br...
Six years studying and experiencing everying I possibly could about Dred Scott.
I have walked among the cotton fields and through the marshy swamps listening to the cicadas and feeling the wet heat of "The Olde Place" plantation in Southampton County VA where Dred was born "Sam Blow."
I have knelt in prayer at the slave cemetery, where Sam's br...
October 13, 2009
DEEP RIVER
"Deep River, my home is over Jordan. Deep River, Lord; I want to Pass over to Camp Ground." - Slave Prayer on Marker Stone at Slave Cemetery on site of Peter Blow Plantation,
Oakwood College, Huntsville, AL
In 1857, Roger B. Tawney in his 20th year as Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court, took the bench with his fellow justices in the old Supreme Courtroom inside the U.S. Capitol Bldg. and began to read his ruling in the case of Dred Scott v. Sandford. It was only the second time...
Oakwood College, Huntsville, AL
In 1857, Roger B. Tawney in his 20th year as Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court, took the bench with his fellow justices in the old Supreme Courtroom inside the U.S. Capitol Bldg. and began to read his ruling in the case of Dred Scott v. Sandford. It was only the second time...
October 8, 2009
My first book
Hi, I'm Utah Attorney General Mark Shurtleff. I recently finished writing my first novel "Am I Not A Man? The Dred Scott Story". I'm very excited to be able to share this inspirational story with all of you. The novel follows the life of the slave Dred Scott that was given his freedom and then had it swiftly taken away again. The book hits shelves on November 3rd and is currently available for pre-order from amazon.com.
