The Self-Liberation of Parson Sykes: Enslavement in Southampton County, Virginia by David J. Mason tells the story of the author’s great-grandfather, Parson Sykes, and his journey to freedom during the Civil War. The author does a remarkable job of setting up the details of the...

The Self-Liberation of Parson Sykes: Enlistment in the Union Army XXV Corps by David J. Mason is a riveting historical fiction novel that places its protagonist at the heart of the Civil War's most challenging and transformative moments. At only seventeen, Parson Sykes is an...

Return to Southampton County, the third installment in the Self-Liberation of Parson Sykes Trilogy by David J. Mason, is an exploration of the Reconstruction Era through the lens of one man’s journey from enslavement to freedom. Mason intricately weaves historical events with personal narratives, offering...