The Marrow of Tradition by Charles W. Chesnutt is a powerful historical novel that examines racial tensions in the American South through the lens of the 1898 Wilmington Massacre.

Set in the fictional town of Wellington, North Carolina, the story follows the intertwined lives of Black and white families, especially focusing on Dr. William Miller, a Black physician, and the effects of systemic racism, injustice, and violent white supremacy. Through personal and political conflict, the novel explores themes of racial identity, social hierarchy, and the struggle for justice and equality in post-Reconstruction America.