On Sale Feb 11, 2025. Available for pre-order now!
People of Means
Two women. Two pivotal moments. One dream for justice and equality.
It’s 1959, and Freda Gilroy has just arrived at Nashville’s Fisk University, eager to begin her studies and uphold the tradition of Black Excellence instilled in her by her parents back home in Chicago. Coming from an upper-middle-class lifestyle where Black and white people lived together in relative harmony, Freda is surprised to discover the menace of racism down South. When a chance encounter with an intriguing young man draws her into the burgeoning Civil Rights Movement, Freda finds herself caught between two worlds, and two loves, and must decide how much she’s willing to sacrifice in the name of justice, equality, and the advancement of her people.
In 1992 Chicago, Freda’s daughter Tulip is an ambitious PR professional on track for a big promotion, if workplace politics and racial microaggressions don’t get in her way. With the ruling in the Rodney King trial weighing heavily on her, Tulip feels increasingly agitated and decides she can no longer stay quiet. Called to action by a series of glaring injustices, Tulip makes an irreversible professional misstep as she seeks to uplift her community. Will she find the courage to veer off the “safe” path and follow her heart, just as her mother had three decades prior?
Insightful, evocative, and richly imagined with stories of hidden history, People of Means is an emotional tour de force that offers a glimpse into the quest for racial equality, the pursuit of personal and communal success, and the power of love and family ties.
Praise
“People of Means left me breathless! A beautifully crafted story rife with struggle, intrigue, and the sheer determination to achieve and hold on to the American dream with poise and dignity. Nancy Johnson has a knack for layering the complexities of class and culture while shining a light on a little piece of history with sound details, vivid imagery and the indomitable spirit of women strong enough to answer a higher calling even when it means risking it all. Profound and sharp, this sophomore novel is a delight.”
—Sadeqa Johnson, New York Times bestselling author of The House of Eve
“Johnson doesn’t shy away from the complex and conflicting emotions and consequences that both characters face as they decide to take a stand, and in this way, she speaks for all those who have ever faced a decision about how far to go in the name of what’s right. A memorable story of mothers and daughters, family dynamics, the complicated meaning of success, the pull of love, and the fight for racial equality, People of Means is a timely look at who we are as a nation—and who we can become, if only we have the courage to follow our hearts.” —Kristin Harmel, New York Times bestselling author of The Paris Daughter
“Nancy Johnson’s poignant story of a mother and daughter, who, in their youths, are reluctantly pulled into the struggle for equal rights and equitable justice, asks hard but necessary questions about whether and how each of us should take action to right the wrongs. People of Means brings a compassionate, fresh, nuanced, and important perspective to fiction that centers the Black American experience. I hope book clubs will embrace this worthy tale!”
—Therese Anne Fowler, New York Times bestselling author of A Good Neighborhood
“Nancy Johnson’s People of Means spins a compelling narrative that explores the courage of a Black mother and daughter as they navigate the tumultuous waters of societal change. Beautifully written, propulsive and poignant, this novel is a meditation on love and resilience. I loved this gorgeous book!”
—Jean Kwok, New York Times bestselling author of Searching for Sylvie Lee and The Leftover Woman
