Asenath and the Origin of Nappy Hair — Carolivia Herron

Volume 1 of the 2 volume novel, Asenath and Our Song of Songs, shares scenes from the life of Shirah Shulamit Ojero, an African American Jewish girl and woman, growing up in Washington, DC. Shirah reexamines and affirms her Judaic ancestry, becomes a graduate student studying epic poetry at the University of Pen Forest, and in the process of writing her doctoral dissertation discovers that hair as nappy as hers has existed only once before - on the head of Ancient Egyptian Asenath. The entertwined stories of Shirah and Asenath becomes a quest for a book unknown in heaven, and leads them through deserts, mountains, and many academic halls. The characters seek the book not only at the University of Pen Forest in Philadelphia, but also at the Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington, DC, West Cambridge University in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and at the Library of Saïs in Egypt. Asenath's story is mentioned briefly in the Hebrew Bible, also known as the Old Testament, as well as in contemporary texts such as Joseph and His Brothers by Thomas Mann. She is the daughter of the Egyptian priest, Poti-pherah, and eventually becomes the wife of Joseph in Egypt. Volume 2 of the novel focuses on the life of Asenath and her connection with Joseph, Shirah, the Pharaoh, also known as the Directing Angel of the Center for Literary and Cultural Studies, and the Pharaoh's Companion, Nefertha of BlackWomanSong, also known as BeeJay Skerett, the Angel who Knows the Difference.