Beverly Jenkins: Teaching Black History Through Romance

By: Raquel Green and Shelby Cunningham

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The Classroom of Beverly Jenkins

Beverly Jenkins is a prolific author and masterful storyteller who seamlessly weaves history into her romances. She uses her characters and plots to illuminate the often unsung stories of Black Americans. Her works are more than just love stories—they’re a tribute to the resilience and richness of Black history, shedding light on the lived experiences of marginalized communities during a pivotal era in American history.

What We Learned

Jenkins doesn’t just tell stories; she educates. Her books are indispensable, offering historical context that deepens the reader’s understanding of her work and the world. She doesn’t cover only Black American history, but like so many Black women before and after her she uplifts the voices of other marginalized people like those of the Indigenous and Hispanic communities. By intertwining all of these histories, Jenkins ensures these important narratives are not forgotten, making her contributions to literature truly invaluable.

Shelby’s learnings from Beverly Jenkins: 

I leave a Beverly Jenkins book with a better understanding of American history than a classroom ever gave me. In Indigo (published in 1996), Jenkins provides a vivid account of what it was like to be a conductor on the Underground Railroad in Michigan, a critical last stop for enslaved people escaping to freedom in Canada. Through the protagonist’s journey, readers gain a visceral understanding of the courage and danger involved in this vital network. In Topaz (published in 1996), Jenkins delves into the complex relationships between Indigenous people in America and Africans brought over on slave ships, uncovering a shared history of struggle and survival. Through Dixon Wildhorse, a character with Black and Seminole Tribe roots, Jenkins taught me about how these groups worked together through their oppression to make sure their stories are told. 

Raquel’s learnings from Beverly Jenkins: 

There’s also Forbidden (published in 2016) which was my first introduction to Jenkins and Western historical romances. This novel focuses on Rhine, a white-passing former slave who uses his privilege to gain financial and political power to help his community in an uncertain time, and Eddy, a black woman who dreams of owning her own restaurant in San Francisco. In school, the Reconstruction Era is glossed over, and the stories of how former slaves lived and the communities they created are not discussed. I loved that Jenkins never held back from showing the tensions and real threats of harm Black people lived under during these periods but also highlighted the resilience and ingenuity of Black communities as they built lives and fell head-first in love. 

Beverly Jenkins's work is critical at a time when African American histories are being banned (See Florida banning A.P African American Studies course) or simply not taught accurately (See the rise of anti-Critical Race Theory). Jenkin's method of education puts the reader into the lives and hearts of people living through times we could never fathom. Often Romance books, especially bodice rippers, are seen as a lesser form of literature, but through her works Jenkins proves how Romance can be used to inform and educate people in new and heart-wrenching ways.