In 1923, Ulysses Colen built a four-room house at 944 Pennington Road in rural Warren, Arkansas. It was a surprise for his wife, Eddie, and would eventually be filled to the bursting point with eleven children.

Dr. John N. Colen was the baby of the Colen family. During his last years at home, his parents shared fascinating pieces of their past with him. Colen was so inspired by their sacrifices that he decided to chronicle their history in 944 Pennington Road.

Much of the book is set against a backdrop of great racial turmoil and political change during the 1940s to...