December 5: Eva Rutland

Time Tested Books is happy to welcome back Eva and Ginger Rutland for the presentation of Eva’s book, No Crystal Stair.

Born and raised in Georgia, the granddaughter of a slave, after World War II, Eva Rutland and her husband moved to Sacramento, where they raised four children. During this time Eva took on a quiet Civil Rights struggle, integration at the family level. She was the first African American mother to join the PTA, as well as the a member of the first black family to live in their neighborhood. By seeking common ground with white mothers during this challenging time, Eva Rutland was able to break down stereotypes and help create part of the foundation that transformed American race relations. It is from this life experience and more that Eva draws from for her novel No Crystal Stair.

A departure from her prior novels, No Crystal Stair was originally published in 2000 by Mira Books. December sees a new edition of the book thanks to IWP Book Publishers. Eva is also the author of the much acclaimed autobiography, When We Were Colored.

Eva’s daughter Ginger Rutland will also be talking about the book. Ginger Rutland is an editor at the Sacramento Bee and a regular commentator on Capitol Public Radio.

The event is on Saturday, December 5, 2009, 7 pm.