An eye-opening, atmospheric novel set in the South and Midwest during the time of Jim Crow that reveals a little-known part of American pre-civil rights history of Black intrigue and power.
Jordan Sable, a prosperous undertaker turned political boss, has controlled the Black vote in St. Louis for decades. Sara, his equally formidable wife, runs the renowned funeral establishment which was created to address the concerning rise in mass burials because there weren’t enough caskets available for Black people. Having a dedicated business to serve the needs of the community has allowed the Sables to ensure that Black people could be buried with dignity. Together, they’ve amassed enough success and power in the Black community to wield influence in politics, effect change and be a source of unity and stability for their friends and neighbors. But when their daughter falls for the wrong man, the family must rally to save her future before their legacy is jeopardized, showing just how precarious the livelihoods of the Black community were at the time.
THE SABLE CLOAK
Why I Wrote This Book
—Gail Milissa Grant Fall 2022
I was born on the cusp of the modern civil rights movement in St. Louis, Missouri, a mostly Jim Crow town, just beginning to grudgingly desegregate some of its public facilities. My parents took the unprecedented step of moving into an all-white neighborhood in the late 1940s which bewildered their friends. Black people back then lived in the same areas of town and spent their time and money with each other. The restaurants and shops of every stripe were all Black-owned, so there was never a question of being ‘refused service.’ My mother always said that, while growing up, the only white people she encountered were life insurance peddlers and the tire salesmen who kept her parents’ funeral home’s stable of cars rolling. I was fascinated by the stories of their youth: the dazzling formals in a Black-owned penthouse or someone’s mansion, and smaller parties where luminaries like Cab Calloway, Lena Horne, Thurgood Marshall, and Leontyne Price showed up.
Even as a teenager, I felt that these two threads — this scarcely documented, tightly kit, upwardly mobile, politically active, pre-1950s Black community, and my parents’ bodacious challenge to segregated housing — had meaning and warranted a book. It became my mission to reveal the accomplishments of overlooked Black Americans, who succeeded in the face of prodigious odds, serving as examples for their progeny, and setting in motion a social movement without end.
After a brief career in academia and twenty-two years as a Foreign Service Officer during which time I directed cultural exchange programs for leading American intellectuals, professors and writers at Embassy postings in Oslo, Paris and Belo Horizonte (Brazil), I turned my attention to writing a family memoir, “At the Elbows of My Elders: One Family’s Journey Toward Civil Rights.” Published in 2008 by the Missouri History Museum, it received the 2009 Benjamin Franklin Book of the Year (autobiography/memoirs) and an Award of Merit from the American Association for State and Local History in 2010.
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PRAISE & REVIEWS FOR THE SABLE CLOAK:
“The Sable Cloak is an exquisite story about the Black middle class in the 1940s and it has a pulse that rings steady and strong, making it a real pageturner. It is both bold and imaginative with characters who leapt off the page and into my heart. A fascinating piece of historical fiction that visits Black wealth, politics, love, and the ability to choose one’s own destiny and protect your legacy. A must read.”
“The Sable Cloak captives the reader in this engrossing historical novel set in the Jim Crow South and Midwest between World War I and the early 1960s. Gail Milissa Grant has created finely drawn deeply human characters who fall in and out of love, create thriving businesses, start labor unions, and form families with strict codes of conduct that help them challenge the racial status quo across the generations. The saga of the Andersons and the Sables from rural South Carolina to Atlanta, St. Louis, and beyond enriches our understanding of how many Black Americans succeeded against the odds, sometimes at great personal cost.”
“From the very first page, I was captivated by the world of Sara and Jordan Sable, a Black family thriving in the South during the 1940s. As pillars of the upper middle class, their political and social influence was as extraordinary as it was groundbreaking for the time. But when a shocking event threatens to unravel everything they’ve built, their bold and unexpected response alters the trajectory of their family’s history forever. I loved The Sable Cloak for its seamless blend of history and fiction. With equal parts jaw-dropping twists and deeply emotional resonance, Gail Milissa Grant brings to life a rarely explored chapter of American history—a powerful Black family navigating life before the civil rights movement. This epic tale of legacy, resilience, and sacrifice is an unforgettable must-read.”
“Grant presents an evocative view of affluent Black life prior to the civil rights era, showing how her characters’ wealth and influence can’t shield them from racial violence. It’s a rich family saga delivered with style and heart.”
Gail Milissa Grant (1949–2024) was a distinguished author, public speaker, and former U.S. Foreign Service officer, celebrated for her contributions to civil rights history and cultural diplomacy.
Born in St. Louis, Missouri, she was the daughter of civil rights attorney David M. Grant, whose legacy she honored in her award-winning memoir, At the Elbows of My Elders. Gail’s career as a diplomat spanned decades, during which she managed international cultural and educational exchanges in Europe, Africa, and South America, and supported press operations for three U.S. presidents.
After retiring, Gail made her home in Rome, Italy, with her husband, renowned stage designer Gaetano Castelli. She continued to write and speak, captivating audiences at venues like Oxford University and Columbia University. Her final novel, The Sable Cloak, a poignant exploration of 1940s St. Louis, is set for publication in February 2025 – find out more below. Gail’s life was marked by her dedication to storytelling, civil rights advocacy, and cross-cultural understanding.
Gail Milissa Grant (1949–2024) was a distinguished author, public speaker, and former U.S. Foreign Service officer, celebrated for her contributions to civil rights history and cultural diplomacy.
Born in St. Louis, Missouri, she was the daughter of civil rights attorney David M. Grant, whose legacy she honored in her award-winning memoir, At the Elbows of My Elders. Gail’s career as a diplomat spanned decades, during which she managed international cultural and educational exchanges in Europe, Africa, and South America, and supported press operations for three U.S. presidents.
After retiring, Gail made her home in Rome, Italy, with her husband, renowned stage designer Gaetano Castelli. She continued to write and speak, captivating audiences at venues like Oxford University and Columbia University. Her final novel, The Sable Cloak, a poignant exploration of 1940s St. Louis, is set for publication in February 2025 – find out more below. Gail’s life was marked by her dedication to storytelling, civil rights advocacy, and cross-cultural understanding.
