Duress
An action done under duress is one in which the person or actor was coerced or persuaded to do so by some external power. It is likely that the person may not have done the action if not under such force.
Nappy
An adjective which describes tightly curled African American hair which can be hard to brush through at times.
Cat
An informal euphemism referring to a person, usually a man. Cat holds a connotation of being cool or in-style to some extent as well.
Zion
Zion originally appears in the Hebrew Bible in reference to a hill outside of Jerusalem where the City of David and later the Temple Mount were built. Throughout this novel, Zion is also used as a term to refer to the Kingdom of Heaven and represents an idealistic and holy place.
Beale Street
Beale Street runs through Downtown Memphis, Tennessee from the Mississippi River to East Street. It is famed as the home of Blues music and stands as a cultural beacon for the genre.
jive-ass
An adjective used to describe someone or something that is pretentious, insincere, or otherwise distasteful. Jive-ass also can be used to describe a "messed-up" or unwanted event in the eyes of the speaker.
Lockjaw
Lockjaw refers to the bacterial disease medically termed tetanus. Tetanus affects muscles and nerves in the body and is characterized by muscle stiffness which usually begins in the neck and jaw (giving it its colloquial name).
Sanctified
Sanctified refers to The Original Church of God or Sanctified Church based in Nashville, TN. Leaders of this church broke off from their previous sects over their support of sanctification or the ability for a follower to reach perfection through spiritual maturity and a union with God.
get happy
This term refers to the moment when the Holy Ghost is believed to enter someone's body during a service in church.
fall out under the Power
Traditionally used to refer to possession by the Holy Ghost.
turning tricks
"Turning tricks" is prostitution (selling sex for money or drugs).
hassock
Hassock is a thick firm cushion used as furniture to kneel on or rest one's feet.
paella
Paella is a rice dish originally from Spain which usually contains either meat or seafood.
scoop hat
A scoop hat, named after its resemblance to a spoon or scooping device, was a common fashion staple of the time usually worn by women. These hats were often intricate, including netting, bows, and more.
summit
Refers to a particularly formal meeting of two parties, in this case the Rivers and Hunt families. The term also connotes the importance of the meeting as it is usually used to refer to an international meeting between the heads of different nations with immense publicity and planning.
hincty
Conceited or arrogant.
honky
A term used by the Black community to refer to a white person or the white community.
jump salty
To suddenly become angry.
bread
Bread comes from the phrase "putting bread on the table" and refers to money or the profits of one's work.
promontory
A rock or land mass which overlooks a body of water.
