Synopsis
Still Kickin'
African American Historical Fiction | WWII Veteran Fiction | California Literary Novel
World War II is over—but for Bill Reeves, the war has only just begun.
In this powerful work of African American historical fiction, Army veteran Bill Reeves returns home to California’s Central Valley expecting peace after fighting for democracy abroad. Instead, he finds the same racism he left behind—segregated opportunities, broken promises, and a country unwilling to honor his sacrifice.
Haunted by combat memories and suffering from what we now understand as PTSD, Bill struggles to reconnect with his family, reclaim his sense of manhood, and find his place in a community that has also been changed by war. His refuge becomes The Shack, a lively juke joint where blues and jazz offer a fragile but powerful balm for trauma. There, amid the music and the pulse of postwar Black life, Bill meets a woman battling her own scars—together, they begin to imagine the possibility of healing.
Set against the rarely depicted landscape of agricultural California, Still Kickin’ illuminates the untold history of African American WWII veterans in the American West. With lyrical prose and psychological depth, Billie Hanson-Dupree explores:
- The Double V campaign and the broken promise to Black soldiers
- PTSD before it had a name
- Postwar racism in 1940s California
- The healing power of community, love, and music
- The resilience of Black Central Valley communities
For readers who appreciate historically grounded literary fiction that honors forgotten heroes and speaks to ongoing struggles for justice and belonging, Still Kickin’ offers both a window into hidden history and a mirror reflecting America’s unfinished work.
Perfect for book clubs, educators, veterans’ organizations, and readers of socially conscious literary fiction, this novel brings humanity and historical truth together in a story that lingers long after the final page.
BOOK TRAILER:
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