Description
In this richly imagined collection, Frank X Walker brings to life the mind and heart of legendary African-American jockey Isaac Burns Murphy (1861-1896). The son of a slave, Murphy rose to the top of thoroughbred racing in a brilliant career that brought him wealth, honor, and international fame. In this unique literary portrait, Walker gives us the voices of Isaac Murphy and his wife Lucy, his mentor Eli Jordan, and his parents James and America Burns. Through their words we follow Murphy’s dramatic journey in the post-Civil War South to become America’s most celebrated black jockey.