Ethel Morgan Smith digs for history where the written record is slim...bringing to light the life and times of the Hollins Community, where blacks lived in service to nearby Hollins College (now Hollins University). The college's founder brought with him 16 slaves when he set up shop on the outskirts of Roanoke in the early 1800's. Civil War brought freedom, but blacks continued to serve the college in anonymity and in poverty for decades to come. Many current black retirees lack a benefits package. With written records so hard to come by, Smith focuses on oral history to bring the community to life. The result is a book intertwining historical record with personal narrative. It is a tale both sad and glorious, and her work is a tribute to the women and men of the Hollins Community.

"Fron Whence Cometh My Help" is a wonderful and astounding combination of historical research and personal search. Ms. Smith uncovers a part of the past long hidden (the story of the African-American community that has been part of Hollins College--and separate from it--since the founding of the college) and shows us that how we understand the past is deeply affected by the search itself. In the course of the book, we meet some extraordinary people and see clearly the many tangled connections of past and present. Ms. Smith's dedication in telling this story is matched only by her honesty in how she tells it. A compelling book, with a title that keeps revealing new meanings with each chapter.