In antebellum Texas, Samuel Dawson does the unthinkable. He rejects the idea that Black people are subhuman and do not possess the same rights as whites. His defiance is met with hostility from his father and neighboring plantation owners. But Samuel does not succumb to the pressures exerted by others. He remains true to what he knows is right and just, and he continues to challenge the dominant paradigms of the time.
While many of his neighbors struggle to deal with the freedmen, Samuel’s former plantation becomes a mecca for Blacks and whites seeking a better life. He offers opportunities not widely available, and the result is a thriving community in which Blacks and whites live and work together peacefully.
As stories of Samuel’s success spread, some nearby landowners seek his advice. They want a flourishing community too, but they do not know how to achieve it. They recognize that the old paradigm will no longer work, yet they do not have a viable alternative. Through word and deed, Samuel guides them.
Others refuse to accept the emancipation of slaves. They seek to reestablish white supremacy, and they will use any means necessary to achieve their ends. They threaten both the growing prosperity of Blacks and the freedom of everyone.
The abolition of slavery created fresh problems and turmoil in the former Confederate states. Neither the former slaves nor the former slaveholders were prepared for the aftermath of the Civil War. Shattering Paradigms is the story of what could have been and should have been.
All Men are Created Equal (Book 1)
Thirteen-year-old Samuel Dawson abhors slavery. When he is put in temporary control of his father’s plantation, Samuel begins an audacious experiment to treat the slaves like human beings. Click here to read Chapter 1 for FREE.
Dawson Town (Book 2)
Following the end of slavery, Samuel Dawson and his former slaves build a thriving community. But many of his fellow Texans are reticent to recognize the natural rights of Blacks, and they threaten to destroy Dawson Town. Click here to read Chapter 1 for FREE.
