The Known World

Hope and Hillard Ulster, a couple in Georgia, purchase Augustus. The Ulsters are shunned by the neighbors because of a grudge that a powerful man, Morris Calhenny, has against Hope, who refused to marry his son. Instead, she chose to marry Hillard. When Hillard tells Augustus that he doesn’t want any trouble and wants Augustus to work for him without incident, Augustus replies, “I won’t be nothin but trouble” (345). Hillard insists that Augustus needs to work so that Hillard’s family can survive; Augustus says, “I know family. I know all about family. But, mister, you can’t raise your family on my back” (345). He begins to walk away from Hillard and ignores Hillard’s calls to stop. Hillard shoots Augustus, and the wound proves fatal, despite attempts to save him. Augustus’s spirit rises up and travels to Virginia, where he finds Mildred and kisses her. The kiss awakens Mildred, and she immediately knows that her husband is dead.

The disappearance of her five slaves makes Caldonia realize that she must follow her mother’s advice and buy insurance for her slaves from Atlas Life, Casualty and Assurance Company. “For a total of just one dollar every month Caldonia would receive three-fifths the value of any runaway slave who was not caught within two months” (356).

John and Counsel travel to Mildred’s home because John suddenly realizes that Moses most likely has run away to her home and is probably still staying there. After stopping for a meal at William Robbins’s house, they arrive at Mildred’s home, where John demands that Mildred “surrender the property” (364). As John gets his rifle out, he accidentally fires, killing Mildred. John is in disbelief over what he has done, exclaiming over and over, “What have I asked except civility and righteousness?” (366). He orders Counsel to go in the house and find Moses. Inside the house, Counsel finds gold pieces in the bedroom, and he searches for more. Thinking that John would not let him keep the gold, he goes back outside and shoots John. 

Counsel meets up with the patrollers as well as Louis and Elias, telling them that Moses killed John. The patrollers want revenge, and Oden Peoples hobbles Moses, slicing his Achilles tendon.

John Skiffington’s widow, Winifred, moves to Philadelphia with Minerva. Minerva one day decides never to return to Winifred, and she does tell Winifred what has happened despite seeing posters reading, “Lost or Harmed In Some Unknown Way On The Streets Of This City—A Precious Loved One” (381). A line at the bottom of the poster reads, “Will Answer To The Name Minnie,” and these words, recalling Belle’s words when she gave Minerva as a wedding present, harden Minerva. She refuses to reach out to Winifred.

The book ends with a letter from Calvin to Caldonia, dated April 12, 1861. Calvin tells Caldonia that he has found both Priscilla and Alice in Washington, DC. Alice has created powerful pieces of art that captivate the attention of many. One piece is a type of map of Manchester County. “But a ‘map’ is such a poor word for such a wondrous thing. It is a map of life made with every kind of art man has ever thought to represent himself. Yes, clay. Yes, paint. Yes, cloth” (384). The other piece is a representation of the plantation with all the people represented in it. Both are signed “Alice Night.” Calvin tells Caldonia about his great remorse for having been an owner of people of his own race.

The novel ends by returning full circle to Moses, who continues to work on Caldonia’s plantation, walking with a limp. Caldonia watches Moses with pity. Celeste makes sure that Moses is fed, telling her children to bring him his meals and take care of him. “Her meals to Moses would be until the end. Celeste was never to close down her days, even after Moses had died, without thinking aloud at least once to everyone and yet to no one in particular, ‘I wonder if Moses done ate yet’” (388).