Former California Field Representative Releases Historical Book

Veronica Bethel Parker's debut explores parallels between African American and Jewish emancipation movements

Apr. 6, 2026 at 9:18pm

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An abstract, out-of-focus scene of people of diverse backgrounds gathered together, conveying a sense of community and shared purpose.A historical book exploring the shared struggles and alliances between African Americans and Jewish Americans in the fight for justice and equality.Vallejo Today

Veronica Bethel Parker, a former California field representative, has released her debut historical non-fiction novel 'The Audacity to Endure: Finding the Emancipation in Hope through Faith'. The book explores the parallels between the emancipation of Africans and African Americans during the American Revolution and the emancipation of Jews in France during the French Revolution.

Why it matters

Parker's book sheds light on the shared experiences of oppression and the fight for liberty across different cultures and continents. It highlights the role of faith and community in driving social justice movements, and the lasting impact of these alliances, such as the collaboration between Jewish activists and African American leaders during the Civil Rights Movement.

The details

In her book, Parker draws from her experiences in public service and her own family history to frame the exploration of emancipation through both a civic and spiritual lens. She was inspired to write the book after reading an art history book on the emancipation of Jews in France during the French Revolution, and found parallels with the experiences of Africans and African Americans during the American Revolution.

  • Parker released her debut novel, 'The Audacity to Endure: Finding the Emancipation in Hope through Faith', in November 2025.
  • The book explores emancipation movements from colonial America to revolutionary France.

The players

Veronica Bethel Parker

The author of 'The Audacity to Endure: Finding the Emancipation in Hope through Faith', a former California field representative who spent over two decades in public service.

Jesse Bethel

Parker's father, who was the first African American elected to the Vallejo School Board and later served as the president of the California School Board Association. Jesse M. Bethel High School is named in his honor.

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What they’re saying

“Both are significant and relevant to the liberties gained by the nation that had oppressed them. A spirit of liberty that was vowing not only on the land of British America, the 13 colonies in America. There was also a similar, if not the same spirit, igniting a burning flame on the European continent as well.”

— Veronica Bethel Parker, Author

“Furthermore, those African Americans who stayed in the United States in New York, as well as Jews who had emigrated to the United States, began to work together.”

— Veronica Bethel Parker, Author

“In the '60s, men of faith and the cloth, Catholics, Jews, and other ministers such as the Rev. Jesse Jackson and Dr. Martin Luther King were symbolic of this unity of freedom for all people and bound together because of their core values and their faith.”

— Veronica Bethel Parker, Author

What’s next

The book 'The Audacity to Endure: Finding the Emancipation in Hope through Faith' is available online on Apple iBooks Store, Amazon, and in bookstores like Barnes and Noble.

The takeaway

Parker's book highlights the shared experiences of oppression and the fight for liberty across different cultures and continents, emphasizing the role of faith and community in driving social justice movements. It serves as a timely reminder of the enduring spirit of emancipation and the power of cross-cultural alliances in the pursuit of equality.