Making Mary
Dedra Muhammad
ISBN: 0976634600
Rising South Publications
Reviewed By Mary Hallows
Official Apex Reviews Rating: 
Making Mary
is the compelling story of the life and legacy of Vivian Johnson, a
troubled soul trapped in an even more troubling time in American
history. Based on a true story, the narrative is centered on Vivian's
unending relationship drama with Lee Hiram, her less-than-apt suitor,
the microcosm of which Muhammad uses to display for the reader the
depths of contemporary relationships within a greater overall context.
Set mostly during the transition between the Civil War and the Great Depression, Making Mary
chronicles the daily travails of a nation – and its people – in flux.
Still haunted by the ever-present specter of racism, the Johnson family
soon succumbs to the lure of the Great Migration, joining the millions
of other poor Black families seeking to escape the oppressive clutches
of the South. Ultimately settling in Michigan, the Johnsons soon
discover that no amount of travel will ever distance them from the
generational curses inherently borne within each of them, manifesting
themselves in myriad ways from alcoholism to promiscuity to even murder.
The
particular hardship of Vivian's life stands out most in Muhammad's
tale. With Lee serving as her perpetual bete noire, Vivian's constant
conflict – both internal and external – pulls at the reader in many
familiar ways. As the purity of her soul slowly deteriorates with each
new heartbreak, the real tragedy comes not at watching her sudden end,
but rather at having to witness her spirit die bit by agonizing bit.
Making Mary
is a difficult read, if only for the fact that in it Muhammad presents
remarkably accurate pills of truth that often prove difficult to
swallow. Taking on everything from the Willie Lynch syndrome to
religious zealotry to lasting misconceptions regarding the true
intentions of Abraham Lincoln, Making Mary
reads like a treatise on American psychology. Her points are cogent,
her logic is flawless, and most impressive is the seamless way she
applies her observations on her subjects within the real framework of
their everyday lives.
For such an intelligent, well-crafted, and
much needed read, Dedra Muhammad deserves to be celebrated for both her
bravery in crafting such a powerful story and her selflessness in
sharing it with the masses. Highly recommended!
Official Apex Reviews Interview: Dedra Muhammad (Making Mary)
Apex Reviews: Thanks for taking the time to join us for this interview, Dedra. We greatly appreciate having this opportunity to learn more about your book.
Making Mary takes a very comprehensive, detailed look at American history, religious zealotry, and the legacy of slavery, among other things. Was it difficult for you to include so many diverse elements within the scope of a single story?
Dedra Muhammad: It wasn't difficult (to include many diverse elements) because the elements truly are all related. For example, one cannot discuss Blacks during the Great Depression without remembering the legacy of slavery, which, in a sense helped to prepare Blacks for the Great Depression. And if the truth be told, one cannot exclude the fact that Blacks were not allowed to read the Bible during that legacy---and as Making Mary speaks of the tens of thousands of Blacks migrating to the north in the 20's, that relates to the emergence of the urban leagues. And how can one write a story with the 20's as the main setting without talking about the impact of the auto industries? I think it would be difficult not to include so many so-called diverse elements and still have an effective piece of literature.
And finally, religious zealotry is not present in Making Mary, as you say. There is only Reverend Washington who is eager to preach the Gospel. Reverend Washington wasn't a zealot---he was a conventional, unadventurous tool; handpicked to do the biddings of his former slave masters.
AR: The intellectual prowess of Wali Eli is overwhelming, to say the least. Where did you get the idea to create such a powerful, much needed character?
DM: Wali Eli brings balance and justice. In the madness that permeates their lives, Wali Eli is the voice of reason. Wali actually translates to mean, "The protecting friend." He is the angel that sits on the right shoulder of man. He is the agitator that has the power to bring one's self accusing spirit alive. He is needed because in the midst of the edutainment, Making Mary is designed to have readers develop greater intrapersonal strength and awareness.
AR: Why does Vivian allow Lee to move Maybelle and her baby into their home - even though the baby isn't his?
DM: Leland inherited thirteen chromosomes from Lee, and he hardly denied it. Still, Vivian did not allow Lee to move Maybelle in---she opposed it, just as Sarah opposed Hagar's presence in her home with Abraham after a time. After one night with Maybelle in their home, Lee knew that he had pushed Vivian to the limit and that Maybelle had to get out at once.
Yet, on a job, if your supervisor makes a decision that you oppose, it does not mean that you "allowed" him to do so, but being that he IS your supervisor, you may go along with it for the time. Remember that Lee was quick to remind Vivian that the Bible says, "Wives, obey your husbands." And too, Vivian was overcome with guilt due to the fact that she had betrayed Lee with her relationship with Henry. Her crimes also kept her quiet in correcting his behavior.
Moreover, the episode with Maybelle in the house was the bulldozer that broke the camel's back in that Vivian resolved to move north because of this.
AR: Was it difficult for you to write the graphic abuse scenes?
DM: No, but it took a great deal of concerted effort. I had to realize the suffering of both the perpetrator and the victim simultaneously. It was equally important to properly portray the mood of the perpetrator. People have commented on how vividly the abuse is depicted. I took true accounts of abuse that someone actually experienced to write some of the graphic scenes. And isn't it amazing that in the "after church" incident, one can laugh at its absurdity? I used to could not, for I took my own abusive history as a model for that particular scene.
AR: Vivian's endurance of Lee's mistreatment for so many years speaks volumes of the greater overall challenges constantly confronting Black women when it comes to relationships. In fact, in one of her novels, Zora Neale Hurston actually refers to Black women as "the mules of the world." Why do you think they've been forced to assume this role?
DM: I am sure that we have been mules of the world. Further, I believe our suffering has been ordained by God for His purpose. In the Bible, Hagar suffered even at the hands of Abraham. He put her out in the wilderness after she produced a child for him. Today, we know Abraham as the father of the righteous, the friend of God. We do not shun him because of his relationship (that his wife had initially encouraged) with Hagar. We have a history of our men impregnating us and then running off and leaving us to find our own sustenance. Over 70% of Black households are headed by Black women. So, what was the lesson in Hagar's life for us as Black women? When Hagar stopped looking to man, she found that God was present the entire time. Vivian didn't have a relationship with the True and Living God, so of course it was easy for her to rely on Lee to validate her.
Women are no longer forced to assume these roles. Our contribution is that oftentimes, we make poor decisions that lead to these roles. The Devil says, "I had no authority over you but that which you gave me…" Unfortunately, in our minds, God is not sufficient. That doesn't make us the mules of the world, but it constitutes mule-headedness.
AR: What's your personal take on the generational curses?
DM: God did not come to curse us. He gave us a free will. And we are free to curse ourselves and our children due to our disobedience. And the "sins of the father shall be visited upon the children," the book says. If we never "get it," it is possible for us to leave a legacy of foolishness and sin for our children.
Conversely, I used to be terrified of scary movies. Now that I know that there is but one God, I think those same movies are silly. Pharoah and his magicians look silly next to the Power of God. The cursed ones are those who take magicians as gods. Hard trials are necessary to establish truth. Whenever a challenge appears in our lives, it is for us to (learn to) overcome it. If we fall short, then it is incumbent upon God to have us re-visit a similar trial at another time. So, generational curses can be viewed as mythology---this is because it takes one to break the cycle by sheer belief in a more powerful force than a satanic curse.
AR: Would you contend that spirituality plays a greater role in our overall health/sickness than we think?
DM: Healing starts in the mind. We have the mental capacity to choose. Scientists are fascinated over the mind body connection. Each one of the cells in our bodies is a living, and intelligent being. When the very core of us shudders at the serious loss of lives due to a school shooting, it is in the literal sense because of the vibrations pounding in our muscles. The dimensions of vibrations indicate that everything is in motion; everything vibrates; nothing is at rest.
Degrees of vibration are referred to as "planes". The higher the degree of vibration, the higher the plane, and the higher the manifestation of life occupying that plane. There are planes on a spiritual level as well as on a cellular level. Since there are different planes of existence, then perhaps there are varying planes of spiritual wellness.
AR: You perform a very thorough psychoanalysis of both individuals and collective society in the book. Just how long did it take you to craft the overall story?
DM: It took years to produce this work. As I developed, so did Making Mary, by the Grace of God.
AR: As you know, our reviewer glowed over Making Mary. What other kinds of reactions have you gotten to the book?
DM: I am pleased and humbled by the outpouring of encouraging remarks. Making Mary gets compared to great works such as the writings of J. California Cooper, Toni Morrison, and even Roots, The Color Purple, Gone with the Wind; Making Mary is described as intriguing, and the most compelling love story ever told. Many who read it are surprised at its masterfulness. This may be due to the fact that I am a first time author.
AR: What's next for you?
DM: Right now, I am doing a great deal of reading. Even in the midst of reading a piece, I am searching for my next splendid read. I may write a few essays and submit them to professional journals or magazines. I am even thinking about writing a sequel. But for the immediate time being, I will continue in my efforts to gain more exposure for Making Mary.
AR: Any final thoughts you'd like to share with our readers?
DM: Again, I am humbled by your attention, and I find it a high honor to have an opportunity to discuss Making Mary—something so dear to me that I pray more and more potential readers will embrace.
AR: Thanks again, Dedra, and best of continued success to you in all your endeavors!