Hello! So, I'm working on a story in which there are many flashbacks to a period in Pre-civil war Alabama (like 1855 or so). The main family in the story are wealthy aristocrats in this time period, so I know that the topic of slavery will have to be addressed in these flashbacks, but I don't really know how I should go about doing so. The family does not own slaves, as their money comes from past wealth, as well as various shipping posts in Mobile. I plan on making the family in conflict because the brother who inherited the house uses the cellar space to hide escaped slaves en route for the Underground Railroad, which is historically set up above Alabama's state lines. Is this a wise choice, or does it read as ignorant/ insensitive to the goings-on in the time-period?
Hi, nice to meet you! I really like your idea, especially with the creative use of the time period. If you haven't written any stories or story ideas with this time period before, or perhaps lack classes studying this era, I recommend you watch the movies "Free State of Jones" and/or "13 Years a Slave" if you haven't already - those are very good stories with contextual historical accuracy. I'm sure you can gloss over the Wikipedia page on the history of Alabama too. I am not from out in the Midwest, but from what I've studied in the past I would think that you could get away with writing your story, however you will need to pay close attention to little reoccurring details like racial slurs, views on racism outside the central family, and consistencies in physical/verbal abuse/assault. Leave very few breaks from the struggles of the times, especially murder and the KKK to keep things tense, and be sure to contrast the ways the central family and others interact with people of different races. Also, there's a lot of tension between views on racism, so one rich guy might wanna fist-fight another rich guy because they treat African-Americans differently. Reading "Uncle Tom's Cabin" is also a good source to read for help with historical context. Research is your most important ingredient. I believe in you and your idea, but that's just me. Take it or leave it, but I wish you luck in your writing :)
