They Came Across South Mountain is a love story of four generations of one family, free people of color surviving the holocaust of slavery and Jim Crow America. The book was written by Elayne Bond Hyman and designed and crafted in collaboration with Sarah Matthews. All 30 copies were printed and bound during the Winter months of 2023 – 2024.
Acknowledgements
We would like to thank the following supporters for their contributions who made it possible to create this book.
- Kari Martindale, Maryland Writers Association
- Rose Chaney, African-American Research Culture & Heritage Society
- Shawnee Reed
- Caron Houston
- Shahida Hyman
- Debra Anderson
- Alex Zdrowjevski
- Dawn Ashbacher
- John Carrera, Frederick Book Arts Center
Thank you to the following people for assisting with the making of the boxes and binding of the books:
- Erica Rose, Actor
- Patrick Crowley, Creativity in Every Space
- Ann Neslen, Book Artist
- Pam Heemskerk, Book Artist, Electric Ladies Project
Elayne Bond:
Writer, Public Speaker and Performer
Welcome to my website where the fragrance of sweetgrass, the wonders of the forest, the glow of the moon, and the touch of a feather meet.
I am Indigenous.
I am land, unceded
I am wind, unstill.
I am standing people, unmoved.
I am two legged digging in.
I am IYESKA: mixed-blood half-breed
changing contaminated words to clear words.
I am tree hugger,
I am dog lover,
I am writer,
I am friend.
I walk lightly on the earth.
I am all my relations.
I have been known by several names: the one given at birth, Elaine Bond Johnson, became Elayne Bond Johnson when I was sixteen. In and out of marriage I was Elayne Bond Hyman and then Amitiyah Elayne Hyman. Retirement restored me to Elayne Bond Hyman, Call me Elayne Bond.
Visit often to read, see, and hear what I have to say. I use language to give witness to the fact of my existence and also to record the herstory of lives lived before my time, especially those who who were silenced and now wish to be heard.