DARLENE'S AWAKENING is the story of a younger, adult, Negro Female as she evolved from a sheltered, na ve and inexperienced person in the 1950s. The repetitive life experiences in the familiar environment she had grown accustomed to were accepted without question. In a remote area of her unraveling, she was aware there was more in store for her than what seemed obvious as she participated in her daily routine. Venturing beyond familiar locations in her imagination offered inviting exploration. The promise of change, the possibility of new experiences was awaiting her discovery. She knew her desires were available, but had not the slightest idea of when, where, or how they would manifest. Her religious training, her place in society as a second class citizen, the role she had been assigned like many of her peers had been accepted without question.One of the legacies of slavery was religion and the Negro Community was inculcated with devout beliefs. Evidentiary indications were apparent as Negro female domestics who crossed the BAILEY on their bus ride each day in route to their various destinations with faces buried in their Bibles. Their holy books were major crutches that many clung to while searching for a realization that offered freedom from anguish. Other buttresses may have been available but were not as apparent. Attempting to hold onto that which promised a better future, their Bibles offered unquestioned assistance as Colored females faced their day-to-day obligations. Some of the obligatory duties went beyond their apparent job description.
