Black, White, Colored: The Hidden Story of an Insurrection, a Family, a Southern Town, and Identity in America

by Lauretta Malloy Noble, LeeAnet Noble

An absorbing investigation into a little-known historical tragedy—an insurrection at the turn of the twentieth century which upended post-Reconstruction gains made by Black residents in a small North Carolina town.

In the late nineteenth century, Laurinburg, North Carolina, was a beacon of racial calm—a place where Blacks and Whites could live and work together. Black families like the Malloys became landlords, businessmen, and doctors. But that progress was shattered on the eve of Election Day, 1898, when supremacist groups launched a bloody attack, forcing Laurinburg’s Black citizens to flee. This bloody race riot was the only recorded insurrection, stripping middle-class Blacks—who made strides during Reconstruction—of their seats on every electoral board.

Black, White, Colored is the first book to tell the story of the events in Laurinburg and its impact on the town’s Black occupants. Descendants, Lauretta Malloy Noble and LeeAnét Noble, carefully piece together that fateful event and its aftermath, providing compelling details of how their family became one of this Southern town’s richest and most powerful despite slavery, violent white supremacist groups, floods, war, and other roadblocks to success.

Black, White, Colored shines a spotlight on the Laurinburg Insurrection, and elevates it to its rightful place in American history, beside the 1921 race massacre in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and offers insights relevant to our society today.

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Race, Audiobook, African American, Biography Memoir, American History

240 pages, Hardcover

Published November 18, 2025

Reviews

[Constance Chevalier · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well-written and researched book which enriches the reader about a special place and community in the South. Everything is explained as the secrets unfold for this family for generations to come.

[Fletcher · Rating 2 out of 5]

The blurb for this book is really misleading. "The hidden story of an insurrection" is really 2% of the book. The rest just felt like reading someone's Ancestry.com results. I don't know that the book justified its existence. #BlackHistoryMonth

[Chris Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A story of a black families resilience and growth in Larinsburg North Carolina. Through the development of a family mill, the city became a safe haven for freed black families. With the rise of white supremacy and Jim Crow era, the town survived but changed dramatically. Through advancement in federal service in DC, the family built a lasting legacy at Howard University and beyond. An incredible story of history that not many people know

[Allena · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting look at a family and a town! Love learning pieces of history I didn’t know before.

[Sister Samhain · Rating 4 out of 5]

Black, White, Colored follows the history of the Malloy family during a time when black families prospered in Larinsburg North Carolina. In a community that thrived by giving back to one another through education, business, housing, healthcare, and wealth, blacks were able to sustain a middle-class society. All that changed in 1989 when white supremacy groups caused many black and biracial families to be displaced. Lauretta Malloy Noble and LeeAnét Noble share their families stories of resilience and the challenges they faced throughout history.

[Debbie Trenker · Rating 4 out of 5]

fascinating History

A well written collaboration from mom and daughter that gives amazing insight into the history of African Americans from North Carolina and their Scottish lineage.

[Valerie Knapp · Rating 5 out of 5]

This fascinating dive into the history of a family and the small, unassuming Southern town from whence they came provides insight on a landmark insurrection and little-known details of a vibrant and prosperous Black community.

Lauretta Malloy Noble and LeeAnét Noble offer an intriguing perspective which is scarcely, if ever, seen in a history text book. They intricately weave their charismatic family stories into the broader historical framework of Black culture, illuminating the reader along the way.

This is only one of many Black stories that have been kept frustratingly clandestine from the forefront of American history. The research and citation required to piece such story together is commendable.

I can only hope schools and other educational outfits share and endorse more personalized historical literature like this to fill in some of the considerable gaps in the accounts of BIPOC American history.

[Angie Cosi · Rating 3 out of 5]

A look at another untold story in African American history. So much of this history is overlooked or simplified to slavery and then civil rights. This book highlights a community in North Carolina where African Americans thrived despite the political climate of the country. The history of the family is explored and often ignored aspect of African American history are discussed. It jumps around in time a bit but covers generations of one family. Thank you to Net Galley for the ARC.

[Darlene English · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm so grateful my cousins wrote this book! I learned so much about distant relatives and felt pride for the ones who endured racial terrors and found ways to thrive despite what was happening. At a time when Black American history is being erased, this book shines a light on race in America by way of a little known insurrection in Laurinburg, North Carolina. This is not only a compelling story of family, survival and resilience, but also an important reminder that if we don't know our history we will be doomed to repeat it. Do yourself a favor and celebrate Black History Month by selecting Black, White, Colored, The Hidden Story of an Insurrection, A Family, A Southern Town, and Identity in America for your book clubs, book groups for schools and for your family members. Black History is American History and we all benefit from knowing and understanding where we come from. Acknowledging where you've been prepares you for where you're going.

[Lix · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read this for the book challenge, but anw

This one’s clearly trying to spark conversation about race and identity, and you can feel that intention from the start. It sets up situations that are meant to make you reflect on bias, perception, and how people see each other beyond surface labels.

The problem is, the delivery feels very direct. Almost instructional. Instead of letting the themes unfold naturally, it sometimes spells them out in a way that feels more like a lesson than a story. The ideas are important, but the execution can feel a bit on-the-nose.
It works better as a discussion starter than as something you read for narrative depth. You can tell it’s written with purpose, but it doesn’t always trust subtlety.

[Annalee · Rating 3 out of 5]

I did learn a lot from this book. It is important to document history from these lesser known places in the US (and the WHY for their current state). It is important to have this history published for people to see.

I do wish that the text zeroed in on a focus. I found myself getting a bit lost. We went between history, information, and memoir within the text. I would have loved to hear more about family stories and seeing them all come to life. It was more telling, rather than having more illustrative writing to bring them to life.

Also, I thought there would be more detail on the insurrection piece. I felt like that part got glossed over. That insurrection is the explanation for what the town is today.

[Laura H Willumsen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fabulous book unearthing a moment in American history previously forgotten and unknown. Laurinburg, NC had a thriving middle-class black community with the first black boarding school before it was ruthlessly torched. The authors' uncovered fascinating facts about their own family history in the town, who were accomplished and successful during Reconstruction, with connections to many prominent figures of the time like Thurgood Marshall and Dizzy Gillespie.

The backlash to this success was an insurrection in Laurinburg that eventually spread to Wilmington, NC. The authors unearthed family stories and details on the insurrection previously lost to memory along with information on how the community moved forward afterwards. The insurrection and subsequent loss of so much of what had been built had profound and lasting impact on the family, who gradually lost awareness of their family's prominence and accomplishments. Through the lens of this personal narrative, this history has been reclaimed and a tragic moment in American history resurrected.

The overall result is a complex and nuanced portrayal of black-white relations at the time, a significant moment in the larger American story that challenges us to grapple with a past we have tried to forget. #historicalreckoning

[Tyrone Stanley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Black, White, Colored by LeeAnet Noble and Lauretta Malloy Noble is a powerful and deeply moving work that brings to light a hidden chapter of American history through the lens of family memory and meticulous research. Blending personal narrative with historical investigation, the authors uncover the story of a thriving Black community in the post-Reconstruction South whose progress was violently disrupted by white supremacist insurrection. What makes this book particularly compelling is its ability to humanize history—transforming what could have been distant historical facts into an intimate story of resilience, identity, and generational legacy. I have also had the privilege of meeting LeeAnet Noble and Lauretta Malloy Noble personally, and witnessing firsthand their deep passion for preserving and telling the stories of our culture. Their commitment to honoring the voices, histories, and legacies of Black communities extends far beyond the page. It is a mission they carry in their lives, their scholarship, and their artistry. That authenticity and dedication are evident in every chapter of this remarkable book, making Black, White, Colored not only an important historical work, but also a heartfelt act of cultural preservation.

[Ashley · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book tackles a powerful and often overlooked piece of American history, and the author’s personal connection to the story gives it real emotional weight. I appreciated the way the narrative ties together family history, racial identity, and a community’s buried past. There are chapters that are genuinely gripping and eye-opening. That said at times the book shifted so much between personal memoir, historical analysis, and investigative reporting that I got lost in the shuffle. Overall, it’s a meaningful and valuable read.
Thank you Harper One for the ARC copy!

[Ayanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has several chapters that cover the insurrection, what happened before and during and after where they get into the impact on the community and the family and how they rebuilt, they also celebrate the culture and the importance of connecting to your elders which we value heavily here in Africa, I was happy to share this book with my teenagers at home so they know the hard history as well as the recovery and resilience and importance of family #historicalreckoning #Insurrection50%

[Deloris James · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is extremely important to read. The authors emphasize how important it is to tell our family stories. So many of our family members pass and take with them critical aspects of our family history. The authors do an exceptional job recording the Malloy family’s history. No one can tell their story better than they can. I applaud them for doing an excellent job!

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

While this was an amazing glimpse into an incredible family, I agree that the premise is not entirely accurate. This is more a family history, albeit an inspiring one, than a historical analysis or insight into a lesser known event.

[Chigweshe Mudzamiri · Rating 5 out of 5]

An absolute must read for anyone interested in learning about how through generations, Africans in the diaspora have navigated issues, of identity, race, wealth and politics in America in general.

[Bethany Thompson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I t loved the information, I just did not enjoy the authors writing style.

[Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading this book.The story is powerful, honest, and deeply personal. You can feel how much research and heart the authors put into telling their family’s history.