Have you ever wondered why there is a statue dedicated to the boll weevil in downtown Enterprise, Alabama? Here's the story behind it- how cotton was king in the south... but the invasion of an insect threatened the entire economy of the south. The foresight of one man, who listened to what God told him, and those who had the faith to listen to what he had to say- that one decision changed the way a generation farmed and raised their families, and ultimately kept an entire generation from being destroyed.

PULITZER PRIZE WINNING NOVEL! In Scarlet Sister Mary, Julia Peterkin tells the powerful story of Mary, a defiant woman in a rural Gullah community who chooses to live on her own terms. After being abandoned by her husband, Mary embraces a life that challenges traditional values, navigating love, motherhood, and social expectations. Set against the backdrop of South Carolina's Lowcountry, this Pulitzer Prize-winning novel offers a vivid and empathetic portrayal of African-American culture, resilience, and identity during the early 20th century. "Peterkin has a talent which is not only great but unique at the moment in America." -- Louis Bromfield "Peterkin is a southern white woman, but she has the eye and the ear to see beauty and know truth." -- W.E.B. Du Bois

Set in the post-Civil War South on Blue Brook Plantation, Scarlet Sister Mary tells the story of Mary, a fifteen-year-old orphan girl in a close-knit Gullah community. As she prepares to marry the charismatic but unreliable July, Mary finds herself torn between tradition and her own desires. Love, community, and superstition intertwine as Mary learns who and what truly matter to her. Scarlet Sister Mary, written at the height of the Harlem Renaissance, is notable for its depiction of African-American life, particularly the Gullah people; and especially so because it was written by a white author, something very unusual for the era. It won Julia Peterkin the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1929. The Pulitzer was not without controversy. The jury chair had spoken publicly of another candidate, Victim and Victor by John Rathbone Oliver, as his favorite for the prize, which was reported in Publishers’ Weekly as being the actual announcement of the winner. Shortly afterward, The New York Times published an article by the head of the Advisory Board refuting Publishers’ Weekly. Ultimately, the Advisory Board chose Scarlet Sister Mary as the winner and, subsequently, the jury chair resigned. Despite this, the novel remains a noteworthy part of the early 20th-century conversation on race and Southern literature. This book is part of the Standard Ebooks project, which produces free public domain ebooks.

God still answers prayer! Dr. John R. Rice opens the bible to help believiers better understand prayer and develop a relationship with their lord.