Casually leaning against the lectern, Beverly Jenkins read aloud two letters in the prologue of ‘Indigo’ called the ‘Indigo Letters.’ The room fell silent as Jenkins maintained the attention of the audience, captivated by the words she had written.

‘I haven’t read those in a long time, and it’s the first time I have not cried,’ she said.

Howls of laughter and moments of heartrending suspense filled Maxwell Auditorium on Wednesday when the author spoke to the small crowd. Jenkins spoke about her journey as the nation’s premiere African-American romance-fiction writer and reminisced about how the tear-driven ‘Indigo Letters’ was one of the weirdest writing experiences of her career.

‘When I got done writing it, I was soaking wet, tears running,’ she said. ‘These letters just came through me.’

Jenkins was invited to speak at Syracuse University as part of SU’s celebration of Black History Month on behalf of the Office of Multicultural Affairs and the women’s and gender studies department.

Fascinated by the people and stories of the 19th century, Jenkins has written books about American slavery and black history. She said she highlights women who have ‘slipped through the cracks of history,’ setting her stories in places such as Kansas, Nebraska and Denver.

Jenkins, who possesses a down-to-earth personality and an obsession with Angry Birds, has a unique way of writing history books masked as romance-fiction novels.

‘Because if they were really history books, nobody would have read it. Nobody would have picked it up,’ Jenkins said.

Jenkins has published 30 books since 1994. Before becoming well known, Jenkins said, she worked at a library near Detroit until she ‘stumbled’ onto this career.

‘I had no idea this is what I was going to be doing with my life,’ she said. ‘I love books so much. All I ever wanted to do, as we say on east side of Detroit, was work in a ‘libary.”

Almost 20 years later, Jenkins has received numerous awards and has been named one of the Top 50 Favorite African-American Authors of the 20th century. But she comes from humble roots. When a crew from People magazine came to Jenkins’ home to do a five-page spread, she took them to her basement to show them where she works. Her office is under the steps next to the water heater.

Through her work, Jenkins honors the African-American women who have come before her: the activists, doctors and teachers. She said she believes they deserve credit that is long overdue. These heroines become characters in her books. One of her most popular novels, ‘Indigo,’ stars Hester Wyatt, a free black woman struggling to find her way in society after losing both of her parents as a child. Hester was a tribute to the women running the Underground Railroad, Jenkins said.

The love scenes help spice up her history-heavy books, Jenkins said.

‘I give them these love scenes — that’s the treat,’ she said. ‘And they’re so busy being fanned and treated that they don’t even know that they’ve learned a whole lot about American history.’

Afua Ansah, a sophomore mechanical engineering major, attended Jenkins’ lecture for extra credit in an African-American studies class and was fascinated by Jenkins.

‘I came here just expecting to write a summary for extra credit, but I loved how she highlights history,’ Ansah said.

Jenkins spent just as much time fielding questions from the audience as she did reciting her prepared speech, and she gave plenty of advice.

‘I tell artists: ‘Don’t worry about it. There’s always going to be haters. Do your thing. Because you never know where you’re going to wind up,” Jenkins said. ‘Pass along the gift. God will take care of the rest.’

empompel@syr.edu

Published on February 15, 2012 at 12:00 pm