The Eyes of Texans: From Slavery to the Texas Capitol

Personal Stories from Six Generations of One Family

By: Melvin E. Edwards

Narrated by: Steven A. Gannett

The Eyes of Texans: From Slavery to the Texas Capitol is a new book by Melvin E. Edwards, an award-winning newspaper reporter/columnist, and a former legislative speechwriter for long-time Texas Lt. Governor and Governor Rick Perry.

Edwards' 30 years of genealogy research confirmed family stories that had been told for decades, exposed some that weren't accurate, and discovered details that had long been buried. These "first person" accounts will capture your attention and take you on a drive-by of the past 200 years of American and Texas history.

Isaac Bladen was born into slavery on a farm just outside of Washington, DC, in a town that is named after the family that enslaved him. He and his Virginia-born wife, Elvira, ended up in Texas in 1844 as enslaved farmers in Leon County, where they had a daughter, Louisa, who eventually married Amos Jones. Louisa and Amos became the parents of Walter Jones. Louisa was born 15 years before the Civil War and died four months after the end of World War II at the age of 99. Her son, Walter, and daughter-in-law, Anna Thorn, had a son they named Orlean Jones. Orlean and Alma Logan Jones became the parents of Ella Jones Edwards, the author's mother. The Logans and the Bladens lived in the same county at the same time as early as 1856, though it would take decades before they crossed family lines when Orlean and Alma married in 1923.

For more than 100 years, beginning in 1844, their ancestors lived in Leon County, Texas, as farmers and cowboys, before moving to Houston for a “fresh start”. Nearly two centuries after Isaac's birth in Bladensburg, Maryland, his great-great-great grandson rose to a key role at the Texas State Capitol just two hours away from where Isaac was enslaved for much of his life in Leona. This is a story of Texas through the eyes of true Texans. From a slave in the 19th century to a governor’s speechwriter by the end of the 20th century. It is a creative re-telling based on actual events and family stories.

©2020 Melvin E. Edwards (P)2021 Melvin E. Edwards

outstanding book

A great autobiographical story with a great message. We enjoyed the audio version and laughed out loud at times. This book is highly recommended.

Very interesting story

Very much enjoyed this book and it has really made me think about how I view skin color. Highly recommend!

Authentic

I’m not sure I would have actually read this book on the written page; but within a minute or two of listening to Steven Gannett’s distinctive voice bringing the story to life, I was hooked!

Just In Time For Black History Month -Texas Style

Read the book and loved it. Decided I needed to listen to it and I am so glad. Family stories are meant to be heard. That’s how they are passed down. The narrator is exceptional. We Texans love our history and are rightfully proud but this is our history too. Edwards's family ended up in Texas when his ancestor from Maryland was sold to an East Texas farmer. Each generation made its mark through perseverance. And despite the racism and lives lived in the shadow of hanging trees the family’s determination carried them forward. Somehow with no love lost for Texas as Edwards is clearly a Texan through and through.

Very Engaging!

Melvin's use of imagination to flesh out the facts of his long past ancestors' lives makes this first-person account of Texas history a joy to read! Getting to hear about what was happening on the inside of the Texas state capital 20+ years ago gave me an interesting nostaliga-attack. I was in my late teens and early 20s, not even living in Texas during that time and I still remember the references he writes about here because much of it was nation-wide news.

Steven's narration is top notch! Great vocal switches between characters, accent and dialect adjustments as time passes in the book, and just a spectacular performance over all. Bravo!

-Indy Umbra

I loved this book from beginning to end!

From the beginning of the book I felt as if I was invited into the family of Melvin E. Edwards. As the story unfolded, I felt like I was sitting around the family dinner table listening to the time worn stories every family passes down from generation to generation.

These stories were valuable history lessons, life lessons, and lessons of humanity all weaved into a beautiful tale of one family’s journey from slavery to the state Capitol of Texas. So many wonderful insights into the obstacles and pitfalls each generation had to navigate while trusting in their dream to one day be treated equally in their own country.

I highly recommend this book. There are so many gold nuggets of history and humanity inside you are bound to come away learning something about the past and maybe even a little something about yourself.

Excellent!

Excellent weaving of a very personal history into a beautiful, informative and entertaining story.