One of People magazine's most anticipated books of 2025!

From the acclaimed author of The Kindest Lie, a propulsive novel about a mother and daughter each seeking justice and following their dreams in 1960s Nashville and 1990s Chicago; perfect for readers of Brit Bennett and Tayari Jones.

"People of Means left me breathless! A beautifully crafted story...profound and sharp."—Sadeqa Johnson New York Times bestselling author of The House of Eve

Two women. Two pivotal moments. One dream for justice and equality.

In the fall of 1959, Freda Gilroy arrives on the campus of Fisk University full of hope, carrying a suitcase and the voice of her father telling her she’s part of a family legacy of greatness. Soon, the ugliness of the Jim Crow South intrudes, and she’s thrust into a movement for social change. Freda is reluctant to get involved, torn between a soon-to-be doctor her parents approve of and an audacious young man willing to risk it all in the name of justice. Freda finds herself caught between two worlds, and two loves, and must decide how much she’s willing to sacrifice for the advancement of her people.

In 1992 Chicago, Freda’s daughter Tulip is an ambitious PR professional on track for an exciting career, if workplace politics and racial microaggressions don’t get in her way. But with the ruling in the Rodney King trial weighing heavily on her, Tulip feels called to action. When she makes an irreversible professional misstep as she seeks to uplift her community, she must decide, just like her mother had three decades prior, what she’s willing to risk in the name of justice and equality.

Insightful, evocative, and richly imagined with stories of hidden history, People of Means is an emotional tour de force that offers a glimpse into the quest for racial equality, the pursuit of personal and communal success, and the power of love and family ties.

BIO

A native of Chicago’s South Side, Nancy Johnson worked for more than a decade as an Emmy-nominated, award-winning television journalist at CBS and ABC affiliates in markets nationwide. 

Her debut novel, The Kindest Lie, has been reviewed by The New York Times, The Washington Post, and Los Angeles Times, and is featured on Entertainment Weekly’s Must List. It was a New York Times Editors’ Choice selection and has been named one of the most anticipated books of 2021 by Newsweek, O, the Oprah Magazine, Shondaland, NBC News, Marie Claire, ELLE, The Chicago Tribune, The New York Post, Good Housekeeping, Parade, Refinery29, and more. Booksellers nationwide selected her novel as an Indie Next pick and librarians chose it for LibraryReads. Nancy’s work has been published in Real Simple and O, The Oprah Magazine, and has received support from the Hurston/Wright Foundation, Tin House, and Kimbilio Fiction. 

A graduate of Northwestern University and The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Nancy lives in downtown Chicago and leads corporate and internal communications for a large health care nonprofit. The Kindest Lie is her first novel.

REVIEWS

“This beautifully crafted, dual-timeline story follows a mother and daughter each seeking justice and following their dreams during pivotal moments of social reckoning — 1960s Nashville and 1992 Chicago. Even amidst deep struggles comes equally deep determination to achieve their versions of the American dream in this propulsive novel of indomitable women.” -- People

“In our current political moment, People of Means feels vital.” -- BookPage

“[A]n illuminating multigenerational drama of a Black mother and daughter finding their way amid America’s racial inequities. It’s a satisfying tale of intergenerational reckoning.” -- Publishers Weekly

“[P]owerful…Each of the main characters are sympathetic, even as they make choices that lead to pain for others. Johnson doesn’t flinch from the terror young activists experienced in the Civil Rights era, and by exploring the parallels … 30 years later, Johnson emphasizes that while some things change, racism stays the same. A heart-wrenching story of love, family, racism, and resistance across decades.” -- Kirkus Reviews

[H]  William Morrow & Company  /  February 11, 2025

1.19" H x 9.24" L x 6.15" W (1.09 lbs) 368 pages