 |
Eugene A Stovall
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
I have had a long association with Frank Yerby’s works both as a student as well during my teaching career. As an adjunct faculty member, St. Mary’s College, I discovered that Yerby’s works mirrored my department’s entire academic curriculum. I was convinced that Yerby’s works deserved a more critical evaluation than he had yet received.
In a 1959 Harpers Magazine article, “How and Why I Write the Costume Novel”, Yerby makes a series of enigmatic statements regarding the historical references in his novels. In order to avoid calling historical fiction, Yerby calls them ‘costume novels from which Yerby claims that Dial Press has cut almost all of the history. So my critical evaluation of Yerby begins with a fundamental question: why did Frank Yerby costume his novels?” But, very quickly, other issues lurking in the background regarding Frank Yerby, himself, begin to emerge. Mutterings within academic circles dismissed Yerby as merely a pulp fiction writer… and whisperings among the black intelligentsia accused Yerby of forsaking the race for commercial success. My critical evaluation of Yerby was forced to address these whisperings.
Darwin Turner who knew Yerby as friend and collaborator calls Yerby a ‘debunker of historical myth”. It is this insight that leads me to evaluate Yerby not only as a marvelous writer of rousing fiction for those seeking literary entertainment, but also creates a treasure chest of information about some of history’s most closely held secrets for the earnest reader.
Yerby draws upon some of the most profound thinkers of western civilization including Immanuel Kant, Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel and Leo Strauss to provide some of his most important insights. Through my analysis of how Yerby employed these radically different thinkers to costume his novels, I come to a fuller appreciation of Yerby’s thinking as well as his personal commitment to provide African-Americans a boost forward at the intellectual level. In the end, I discover that Yerby costumes his novels to address his two audiences: those who wish merely to be entertained and amused and those searching for information. In this way, I find Yerby to be not only a debunker of historical myth, but an oracle of historical truth, as well.
Birth Place: Oakland, CA USA
Accomplishments: Attended St. Mary's College. Served in the Air Force as a radio repairman. Studied the Swedish Ombudsman at the University of Lund, Sweden. Received a master's degree from the University of California, Davis based largely on Swedish research and given membership into the Pi Sigma Alpha Honor Society Omega Chapter in 1971. Received an undergraduate degree from the Political Science Department of the University of California at Berkeley in 1969,graduating magna cum laude. Received Ph.D. in Political Theory from the Political Science Department at the University of California Berkeley, passing orals with distinction.
Born and raised in Oakland California attending catholic schools and graduating from Bishop O'Dowd High School. As a Boy Scout,earned 21 merit badges and the Ad Altare Dei medal. In 1958 at the age of eighteen, he was invested into the Knights of Peter Claver. Attended St. Joseph’s College studing for the Catholic priesthood.
Worked for the California State Legislature in the Assembly Office of Research as well as the Assembly Government Organization Committee. Served as program coordinator for the Institute of Race and Community Relations located at the University of California. Worked in the corporate world as a manager for Pacific Bell and worked as the network coordinator in the technology services department of the Oakland Public Schools.Taught at USF, St. Mary’s College, San Francisco State University as well as at Merritt College and the University of Phoenix.
|
|
|
