When Lisa Richesson was eighteen she discovered she was pregnant and knew she was in trouble. It was 1969 and she was white; the father of her unborn baby was black. Civil rights had not yet reached the hearts and souls of Middle America, especially not as far as Lisa’s family was concerned. She made the heartbreaking decision to relinquish her bi-racial child for adoption. How she survives, has another bi-racial child and ultimately reunites with her first son will be shared as told in her book.

White Lady, Black Sons, a memoir of adoption, abuse and awakening, is debut author Lisa Richesson’s riveting memoir of loss, sorrow and survival while she never gave up hope of being reunited with the son she’d given up for adoption.

The Southwest Seattle Historical Society sponsors this free book-talk series on the 'First Friday' of each month. Lisa's presentation, the 33rd installment of the series, will take place at 5 p.m. Friday, June 3, 2016, at Barnes & Noble/Westwood Village.

Richesson has served on the Board of Directors for the Southwest Seattle Historical Society and is currently volunteering, traveling and promoting her book. She is a voracious reader, wife, mother, grandmother and friend. She has lived in Seattle all her life and currently resides with her wife in the Ballard neighborhood.
"Words, Writers & West Seattle's" next book-talk is scheduled for July 8th (postponed a week because of the July 4th holiday) and will feature Tom Reese, Seattle Times' photographer, and journalist Eric Wagner's book, Once and Future River, the reclamation of the Duwamish. For videos on these and other authors' presentations, visit: www.loghousemuseum.info/events/words-writers-and-west-seattle. Additional information on future presentations can be obtained by contacting Dora-Faye Hendricks, Chair, "Words, Writers & West Seattle" by phone at 206-280-9983 or by e-mail at Dora-Faye@comcast.net.