ABOUT THE BOOK
From dehumanized slaves to second class citizens and to fighters for civil rights, Septima Poinsette Clark passionately tells this riveting story of her family’s lineage in America in Blazing Toward Freedom: Septima Poinsette Clark’s Story from Slave to Queen Mother of the Movement.
In this creative nonfiction narrative, an aged Clark speaks from her Johns Island nursing home and takes the reader on a journey from the 1800s to the 1970s. She uses chronological historical events as the backdrop to her story in two parts.
In Part One, Clark moves the reader from the deadly and diseased slave ship to a Carolina rice plantation to experience both Gullah and elitist southern lifestyle traditions. Next, she drives the reader into the bloody American Civil War and through emancipation.
In Part Two, Clark shares her life story teaching citizenship and literacy skills. She bravely confronts Jim Crowism, segregation and institutionalized barriers against equality and voting rights. Clark’s phenomenal work crosses over with the work of some of America’s most renowned civil rights icons including Fannie Lou Hamer and others.
Blazing Toward Freedom, framed by significant historical events, is an important diversely inclusive American story.
ABOUT CAROLYN P. JENKINS Ed.D.
Carolyn P. Jenkins, Ed.D., is a retired educator and author of Blazing Toward Freedom: Septima Poinsette Clark’s Story from Slave to Queen Mother of the Movement. With 38 years of experience in education, Carolyn has served as a teacher, librarian, curriculum coordinator, adjunct professor, and university trustee across South Carolina, North Carolina, and Tennessee.
She holds a BA in English from Claflin University, a Master’s in Library Science from NC Central University, and an Ed.D. in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of South Carolina at Columbia. Her educational journey—shared with her late husband, Rev. Dr. A. Clark Jenkins—has been marked by a commitment to equity, access, and excellence in learning.
Through her business, C.P. Consult, LLC, Carolyn advises early-career writers and educators, offers curriculum consultation, and advocates for the teaching of untold American histories. She also contributes to By Faith Magazine and regularly leads author talks and educational workshops centered around Black history, civil rights, and culturally responsive teaching.
Carolyn is a devoted mother and grandmother who cherishes time with her children—Carmel and Jeremy (Gina)—and her granddaughters Gabrielle Nicole, Nadia Ari, and Gianna Clarke.
BRING THE STORY TO YOUR SCHOOL, ORGANIZATION, OR EVENT
Dr. Carolyn P. Jenkins offers author talks, book discussions, and curriculum consulting that illuminate African American history and empower educators with culturally responsive resources. Whether you're planning a community program, academic event, or professional development session, Carolyn brings passion, perspective, and purpose to every engagement.