The Resurrection of Nat Turner, Part 1: The Witnesses

Leading a small army of slaves, Nat Turner was a man born with a mission: to set the captives free. When words failed, he ignited an uprising that left over fifty whites dead. In the predawn hours of August 22, 1831, Nat Turner stormed into history with a Bible in one hand, brandishing a sword in the other. His rebellion shined a national spotlight on slavery and the state of Virginia and divided a nation’s trust. Turner himself became a lightning rod for abolitionists like Harriet Beecher Stowe and a terror and secret shame for slave owners.

In The Resurrection of Nat Turner, Part 1: The Witnesses, Nat Turner’s story is revealed through the eyes and minds of slaves and masters, friends and foes. In their words is the truth of the mystery and conspiracy of Nat Turner’s life, death, and confession.

The Resurrection of Nat Turner spans more than sixty years, sweeping from the majestic highlands of Ethiopia to the towns of Cross Keys and Jerusalem in Southampton County. Using extensive research, Sharon Ewell Foster breaks hallowed ground in this epic novel, revealing long-buried secrets about this tragic hero.

“Foster (Passing by Samaria), acclaimed author of several books she calls ‘gospel novels,’ writes vividly about faith and slavery in this fast-paced narrative…Foster describes the Southern hierarchy of women and slave owners and rebellious and submissive slaves with equally deft passages…the story is riveting and expertly told by an inspired, practiced storyteller.”

— Publishers Weekly

“Sharon is the Picasso of the pen!”

— Bishop T.D. Jakes