Mary's Grace

As Richmond matures in the early twentieth century, Grace Arents, the niece of Lewis Ginter, builds schools for the public, starts the first lending library, and continues her uncle’s philanthropic legacy. Already a confirmed spinster with no ideations of marriage, she is surprised to find herself drawn to one of the many teachers she hires to educate the children of Richmond. As their relationship blossoms, they weather intimidation by segregationists, begin supporting the most prominent African American educator in the region, and learn to navigate the world as it changes all around them.
This thoroughly researched and beautifully told sequel to Ginter’s Pope continues the saga of the Ginter-Arents family’s influence on Richmond. Written with heartfelt admiration for these historical figures, this story is another #OwnVoices narrative that fills in previously unknown details about the personal lives of women that made phenomenal contributions to the arts and letters of Richmond, Virginia.