Secret Daughter

A Mixed-Race Daughter and the Mother Who Gave Her Away

By: June Cross

Narrated by: LaQuita James

June Cross was born in 1954 to Norma Booth, a glamorous, aspiring White actress, and James "Stump" Cross, a well-known Black comedian. Sent by her mother to be raised by Black friends when she was four years old and could no longer pass as White, June was plunged into the pain and confusion of a family divided by race. Secret Daughter tells her story of survival. It traces June's astonishing discoveries about her mother and about her own fierce determination to thrive. This is an inspiring testimony to the endurance of love between mother and daughter, a child and her adoptive parents, and the power of community.

©2006 June Cross (P)2021 Tantor

Best Autobiography

I appreciated how June Cross narrated her story. She is able to engage the reader by describing her complicated relationship with her mother and how that affected her search for understanding of who she is. I highly recommend this book. It’s one of the best autobiographies I have ever read.

June is the glue

June turns out to be the glue that holds everyone around her together, the little girl that we’re looked at and judged from both races

Beautiful autobiography

I appreciated June’s honesty and lovely writing. It gave me deep insight about the difficulties she and her mother faced in the 50’s and 60’s. Strong women!!! Thank you June for writing your story and sharing it with us!

Finish prior to judging

The story brought tears to my eyes, but the story really is one of redemption and closure.
Bound to stir up Self reflection on your own misjudgments and assumptions of motherhood, career, and love.
Strongly recommend finishing the book in it’s entirety prior to passing judgement.
I found my negative assumptions of the “villain” changed dramatically from start to finish.

Well written engaging story that is poorly narrated.

Wonderful and well written biography.
I will gladly recommend READING her book.

If this book was not so well written and compelling I would not have finished listening. The narrator mispronounced too many words for such an engaging story.