Owen Dodson reads Chapter 65, About Mr. Bonebreaker the Bible Salesman, of Miss MacIntosh, My Darling by Marguerite Young. Dodson (1914-1983) was a poet, novelist, and playwright. He was associated with the Harlem Renaissance and has been referred to as “one of the most influential directors in the black academic theatre from the 1940’s to the 1970’s.” His major works include: Garden of Time (1945), Boy at the Window (1951), The Confession Stone (1960), Till Victory Is Won (1965), and The Harlem Book of the Dead (1978). His work has been extensively translated abroad. Dodson was the recipient of a Rosenwald Fellowship (1944-45), a Guggenheim Fellowship (1953-54), and a Rockefeller Grant (1969-70).

Titus Bonebreaker roams the streets of Chicago, sharing the word of God. Despite their dire differences, Bonebreaker finds love with Miss MacIntosh. He, in denial about his impoverished state, speaks out against diversity and change. She enjoys their urban walks. They agree to wed; the Bible Salesman is under the impression that by doing this, he will “save” Miss MacIntosh. He leaves her on the eve of their wedding night, after discovering that she does not need to be saved and because she is bald.

 © copyright Charles Ruas 2023