At the turn of the nineteenth century; James Vann; a Cherokee chief and entrepreneur; established Diamond Hill in Georgia; the most famous plantation in the southeastern Cherokee Nation. In this first full-length study to reconstruct the history of the plantation; Tiya Miles tells the story of Diamond Hill's founding; its flourishing; its takeover by white land-lottery winners on the eve of the Cherokee Removal; its decay; and ultimately its renovation in the 1950s. This moving multiracial history sheds light on the various cultural communities that interacted within the plantation boundaries--from elite Cherokee slaveholders to Cherokee subsistence farmers; from black slaves of various ethnic backgrounds to free blacks from the North and South; from German-speaking Moravian missionaries to white southern skilled laborers. Moreover; the book includes rich portraits of the women of these various communities. Vividly written and extensively researched; this history illuminates gender; class; and cross-racial relationships on the southern frontier.
#910475 in Books The University of North Carolina Press 2007-03-05 2007-03-05Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 9.25 x .80 x 6.13l; 1.01 #File Name: 0807858293320 pages
Review
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful. Slam-dunk celebration and tribute to women and sportsBy Kevin WoodwardI just purchased two more copies for friends and fellow coaches ... and I'm only halfway through this mesmorizing read. I especially enjoyed the accompanying photographs beginning in the 1890s ... and the timeless; oh-so-familiar looks of intensity; confidence; and joy in the eyes of the players. My own life in sports was incomplete until I was introduced to the women's game through my own daughters. Attention Ken Burns: Here is the script for your next project. Long live Title IX!6 of 6 people found the following review helpful. Great overview of the game from the beginning to 2004 (WNBA)By Ann UedaWow--I can't believe I'm the first person to review this book; given how comprehensive it is and what a great overview it provides for the sport of women's basketball in the United States.Grundy takes us from the first days of the game itself as developed by James Naismith (what a smart guy he was; to envision this great game) and then quickly adopted by Victorians to allow women to play sports but with all of the quirky Victorian values in place. Readers will learn a little about the first rules for women's basketball; including organization of the court into cells; each one containing a woman who stood within its boundaries to defend her team's basket and pass the ball for offensive plays. Yes; the game was really that slow and inactive back then! But the rules were designed to prevent women from over-exerting themselves and retaining that air of refinement.Grundy also does a good job of including stories about the key players at the college and professional levels from the 1930s onward. You'll recognize the well known women players and learn about others who; while less well known; were still instrumental in growing the sport. You'll also learn something of the spirit; vision; and character of these physically and psychologically strong women pioneers.And; because this is a history involving women; you will also learn about the difficulties women; as recently as Pat Summitt (Lady Vols basketball coach--GO VOLS!) and Tara VanDerveer (Stanford women's basketball coach--GO STANFORD!) who went to high school when there was NO basketball team for girls; had in finding places where they could learn to play the game and play with other teams. That's hard (thankfully) for women of the next generations (like me) to imagine; but this was the reality for much of the country until the 1970s. Readers will also learn about the passage of "Title IX" by Congress; legislation that was key to creating greater opportunity in sports; and how it was actually part of a larger piece of legislation that didn't initially actually have a sports/althetics focus. Women's basketball in this country is a fine mirror of the equality; civil rights; and social justice movements that were happening concurrently with the development of the sport.Grundy also does a good job of including some information about other women's basketball leagues that have been a part of the game's history; including Asian-only leagues. While she only mentions Chinese-American leagues; there were also Japanese-American leagues for children and youth; where many of the players and families were Japanese American. These ethnic-specific leagues were and; for some; continue to be important aspects of ethnic communities and ethnic identities; often being the only time a child or youth from that background would think to play the sport. That Grundy knew about these leagues and included them in her book only adds to the diversity; love; and support this game has had from all groups; but whose stories would otherwise be lost over time.Grundy's book ends in 2004 and with the story of the successful WNBA (and accompanying demise of the ABL; the other competing women's pro ball league that eventually folded).The only reason why I gave this book only 4 stars and not all 5 is because the book is too short and I would've enjoyed more details. Still; this is a great book to read if you want to know the comprehensive history of this game for women; be inspired to play the game or support players who do; and understand the evolution of sports and athletics for women. It's an even greater book to read in between the college and pro women's basketball seasons!5 of 5 people found the following review helpful. I had no ideaBy Dodo-CalvariaI checked this book out from the library after I first got WNBA fever two years ago. Before that; my only experience with women's bball was playing in 7th grade. Although it was the funnest sport I ever tried; I left it completely behind when i became a grungy teen and eschewed all sports. (Blame in on Texas' sports-centric culture y'all; I was just reacting; ha!)Then WNBA games starting broadcasting regularly on ESPN2. The women's game mesmerized me. I couldn't get enough - which brought me to Shattering the Glass. It's a great overview of the history. If you're new to the scene; it's a fabulous introduction to the stories behind the big names. I didn't know Nancy Lieberman was nicknamed Fire in the 70s; thanks to her showy moves! Too awesome. The cover; showing Chamique Holdsclaw (who recently retired; sadly) and Lisa Leslie; is a great indication of the guts; brawn and glory that is the women's game.
