The novella titled My Monticello in Jocelyn Nicole Johnson’s first collection of short stories is placed in a future society marked by turmoil reflecting present-day crises. Following a season of wildfires, intense heatwaves, and a “national election marred by massive protests,” the East Coast is struck by “powerful and destructive storms” causing disruptions in transportation, power outages, and malfunctioning mobile phones. Da’Naisha Hemings Love, the narrator, describes a period of uncertainty where it was unclear if the world was collapsing under its own weight or facing an external threat.
During this chaotic period, Charlottesville, VA, is invaded by white supremacists who set fire to the homes of Da’Naisha and her Black and brown family and neighbors. Seeking refuge, they, along with a white married couple and Da’Naisha’s white college boyfriend Knox, escape to Monticello, the historic residence of Thomas Jefferson.
Da’Naisha is a descendant of Thomas Jefferson and Sally Hemings, Jefferson’s “lighter-skinned but never legally recognized partner,” who bore six children fathered by Jefferson while in slavery. The group of refugees fleeing from violent racists establishes a settlement in the ancestral home they were compelled to build. The story’s focus on climate change, racism, and interracial relationships and alliances showcases Johnson’s exploration of these complex themes.
Although not explicitly explained in the novella, Da’Naisha’s last name, like her middle name, is a historical reference: in the case of Loving v. Virginia, the Supreme Court invalidated laws prohibiting interracial marriage. Johnson delves into interracial relationships, including Da’Naisha’s connection with Knox, examining the complexities and challenges of such unions within the novella’s narrative. Despite Da’Naisha’s uncertainties about the future of their relationship, she eventually discloses her pregnancy to Knox, highlighting her role as the lead character and matriarch in her own story amid turmoil.
The novella stands out as the most captivating portion of Johnson’s compilation, with the accompanying short stories, also based in Virginia, exploring thought-provoking ideas about Black identity. While some of the stories read like exercises in experimental narrative styles, such as “Something Sweet on Our Tongues” told from a first-person-plural perspective, and “Buying a House Ahead of the Apocalypse” presented as a list of directives, the epistolary “Control Negro” stands out for its dark satire.
In “Control Negro,” narrated in epistolary form, the protagonist, a professor, endeavors to comprehend the impact of race and racism on life outcomes. Seeking to create a control subject free from his own upbringing’s disadvantages, the professor fathers a son for his experiment. He observes the son from a distance, gathering data and occasionally guiding his choices, all with the intention of proving his son’s exceptional decency and truthfulness to challenge societal prejudices. However, his hopes are dashed when his son becomes a victim of police brutality.
Despite the somewhat formulaic and underdeveloped nature of the short stories in Johnson’s debut collection, the poignant themes and eloquent prose of the title novella, My Monticello, elevate it to a remarkable piece of work. With her talent for engaging longer and more intricate narratives, Johnson is poised to leave a significant mark on contemporary American literature.
