Harlem Duet

In 1860 Harlem, delta blues play under the voice of actor Paul Robeson, who speaks of his ancestors and how their blood inhabits the soil. The character He is working on a horseshoe as She rushes in with a bag containing a change of clothes and some food. She is ready to begin their trek to Canada, but He continues in silence. When pressed, He tells Her that He isn’t going. Miss Dessy’s father is going to war, and He wants to stay to take care of her. She asks Him directly if He loves Miss Dessy. He answers with a simple, “Yes” (63).

The voice of Louis Farrakhan plays over the sounds of “dulcet blue tones” (64). Farrakhan speaks of American society dragging down African Americans. Magi and Billie are laughing over Magi’s dating life as they continue packing the remaining items in the apartment. Billie has decided to move out, even though Magi tells her not to feel pressured to do so. She asks Magi if she wants a mask, but Magi turns the offer down, prompting Billie to smash it to the floor: “I don’t want anything that’s—that was ours” (65).