Red River is a 2008 novel of historical fiction by Lalita Tademy, largely based on the history of her father’s family. Previously, Lalita Tademy wrote Cane River, which was selected for Oprah’s Book Club and is another historical fiction book, this one based on her maternal relatives. Red River takes place over almost 50 years, following four generations of the Tademy family. The central event in the book is the Colfax Massacre, a true to life event that happened on Easter Sunday in 1873. The first half of the book focuses on the events leading up to this massacre, which resulted in the murders of over 150 black men while they attempted to defend the Colfax courthouse from the White League, which would become the Ku Klux Klan. The second half of the book explores the impact of this massacre on the black community in and around Colfax, focusing on the Tademy family. Throughout the book, the author includes real letters, newspapers, and photographs of the period, giving deeper context to the events.

Plot Summary

The novel follows four generations of the Tademy family, who live in The Bottom, a black community close to the town of Colfax, Louisiana. In the first half, Sam Tademy joins Israel Smith, McCully, and other black men of the town as they come together to defend the courthouse and the newly elected Republican officials. Although the Civil War has ended and Reconstruction promises them a brighter future, the black community is concerned that the old guard of white men in the town will stop the rightfully elected Republicans from taking office. Since the promised Federal support has not arrived, they take it upon themselves to lead the defense.

They hold the courthouse for over three weeks, allowing the Republican sheriff and judge to be sworn in. However, the White League is a constant threat. After several weeks, the white men march on the courthouse, having gathered support and weapons from surrounding towns. Sam is appointed to lead the black women and children away from the inevitable violence and protects them in the swamp. As a result, he is one of the few survivors of the massacre.

The black men are quickly overpowered by the force of the white men and their cannon. After the white men see the courthouse on fire, the black men try to surrender but are fired upon. Over 100 black men are killed and 50 more, including Israel Smith, are taken prisoner. That night, although the white sheriff forbids the mob from harming the captives, a small group of drunk white men executes and tortures them to death. Israel is the only survivor, although he is shot several times and loses an eye.

The black community is broken by the massacre, and the hope of Reconstruction is over. Although some white men are arrested and charged with crimes relating to the massacre, none are convicted, and the event is called the “Colfax Riot” in the history books.

As one of the only survivors, Sam throws himself into building a better future for the black community of Colfax. He dreams of starting a black school to educate his children and the children of the community. Although he is not able to see this dream through, his son, Jackson, does accomplish it. He builds a black school in The Bottom that is burned down by the White League. He later rebuilds it and expands it to include a high school. Noby Smith, Israel’s son, supports him in this endeavor.

Sam and later Jackson pass down the truth about the Colfax Massacre to their sons so that the true history of the black community isn’t lost. They also convey the proud history of the Tademy name to their sons and grandsons, emphasizing the importance of identity.

Jackson’s son, Nathan-Green, becomes a teacher at the school, but he is not as driven or bold as his father or grandfather. He marries Noby’s daughter, uniting the two families by blood. His son, Ted, inherits the responsibility of keeping hope alive for the black community and ensuring the continuation of the true history of the Colfax Massacre. Ted Tademy is the father of the author, Lalita Tademy.