Chapter 5

Helene, trying to inspire Hettie after memoir rejection, sends inspiring quotes. Hettie takes job teaching at Sing Sing prison. Memoir revision is accepted by E. P. Dutton, praised by young readers. Helene’s brother Jack dies. Hettie reports March on Washington for abortion rights. In August 1989 they drive to Michigan to Marie Bahlke, Helene’s sister. In September Hettie begins workshop at Bedford Hills, New York State’s max prison for women, and second year at SUNY Purchase. Kellie Jones’s show of Martin Puryear sculpture, first black American artist to get international attention, wins Grand Prize, São Paulo Biennale. Helene makes masks. Hettie’s memoir gets great Kirkus review while she’s copyediting memoir by John Belushi’s widow Judy. Helene tapes Hettie’s radio interviews, memoir praised as “valuable social document”; Henry Louis Gates and others send nice letters. NY Times lists How I Became among 200 best books of 1990. Helene does new show called Runes.