The Ditchdigger's Daughters: A Black Family's Astonishing Success Story

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More About This Book

Overview

"I love you better than I love life," Donald Thornton told his six daughters. "But I'm not always gonna be around to look after you, and no man's gonna come along and offer to take care of you because you ain't light-skinned. That's why you gotta be able to look after yourselves. And for that you gotta be smart."

Donald Thornton, a ditchdigger in Fort Monmouth, New Jersey, decided to do the grandest thing he could think of: make a success of his daughters' lives. With the help of his equally remarkable wife, Tass, who worked as a cleaning woman, he cajoled, prodded, and inspired his girls to hit the books while steering them away from the kind of trouble that would keep them stuck in a life of poverty. And all the while, Donald Thornton worked two full-time jobs to keep a roof over their heads, food in their bellies, and proper clothing on their backs.

The Ditchdigger's Daughters is an inspiring portrait by a loving daughter of a father whose pervasive common sense, folk wisdom, and untutored but right-on insights gave his children their road map to a better life. It is the story of a man who dared to dream that his black daughters would someday become doctors -- and who guided them to achieve the seemingly impossible goals he set for them.

It is also the story of an astute businessman who formed his bright and talented girls into a rhythm-and-blues band that played Harlem's Apollo Theatre and won a recording contract, which Donald tore up when he discovered it required his girls to leave school. Instead, the Thornton sisters played colleges on weekends, earning enough money to pay for their education, yet not allowing their music to interfere with their studies.

Today, all six of Donald Thornton's daughters are successful, independent, accomplished women who've risen to stand on equal terms with anyone. Two of the Thornton sisters are indeed doctors; one became a dentist, one a lawyer, one a nurse, and one a court stenographer -- a tribute to a remarkable man whose strong values and fierce love for his daughters gave them a lasting belief in themselves and the strength to overcome the many obstacles they faced on their astonishing road to success.

A ditchdigger and his cleaning-lady wife had five daughters. He worked two full time jobs to keep them fed, inspiring them to succeed. 3 cassettes.

Editorial Reviews

Publishers Weekly
The remarkable power of family values as articulated by an uneducated black man and his wife is played out in this loving memoir. Thornton is one of five daughters born to a laborer in a New Jersey shore town who was almost obsessed with the importance of education for his children and the nurturance of their talents. He strictly monitored their musical training, scrimping and wheedling where necessary to pay for their lessons. Eventually the Thornton Sisters Band was formed-a family enterprise whose financial success became the source of the daughters' college tuition. Although only two of the girls fulfilled their father's dream that they become doctors, all of them have successful careers. This picture by Thornton and Coudert (Advice from a Failure) of a black man's single-minded devotion to his family is a tribute to an extraordinary father who transcended racial prejudice to raise appreciative daughters to be independent women. Photos not seen by PW. (May)
Library Journal
This memoir describes how, with seemingly unfailing energy and determination, Donald Thornton, working two jobs, saw each of his six daughters obtain an education and become established in a successful career. Using their musical talent, the Thornton girls gave performances for a number of years to help finance their schooling. Donald and his wife, Asker, gave their children the strength to achieve their goals in the face of hardships, not the least of which were racial and gender discrimination. Reader Fran Washington injects a great deal of feeling into the authors' words, bringing out a whole range of emotions, from joy to anguish. This is a warm-hearted, affectionate memoir that emphasizes the importance of family ties. Highly recommended.-Catherine Swenson, Norwich Univ. Lib., Northfield, Vt.

Product Details

  • ISBN-13: 9780758225887
  • Publisher: Kensington Publishing Corporation
  • Publication date: 3/1/2008
  • Edition description: Reprint
  • Pages: 272
  • Sales rank: 295,754
  • Product dimensions: 6.08 (w) x 8.98 (h) x 0.77 (d)

Meet the Author

Yvonne Thornton
Yvonne Thornton

Yvonne S. Thornton, M.D., obtained her medical degree from the Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons with honors. She is director of the Perinatal Diagnostic Testing Center at Morristown, New Jersey, and an associate physician at Rockefeller University Hospital. She lives with her husband and two children in Teaneck, New Jersey.

Table of Contents

Introduction vii
1. The Beginning 3
2. The House That Donald Built 16
3. Sweet and Sour Notes 32
4. The Thornettes 49
5. Show Biz 63
6. Weekend Dates 79
7. The Band's Wagon 97
8. The Break 114
9. One Monkey Don't Stop the Show 128
10. P & S 148
11. Dr. Thornton, Dr. Thornton ... 167
12. Till Death Do Us Part 184
13. A Labor of Love 202
14. Navy Blue and Black 215
15. Civilians and Civility 228
16. The Gospel According to Donald 247

Customer Reviews

Average Rating 4.5
( 22 )

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See All Sort by: Showing 1 – 20 of 22 Customer Reviews

  • Anonymous

    Posted May 25, 2001

    Just a Black Woman

    Just a Black Woman Alex The Ditch Digger¿s Daughter, published in 1995, by Yvonne S. Thorton, gives us a glimpse of a very different world, at least for me. A world where the children are growing up in sub-poverty, with their parents working several jobs trying to make ends meet, and the entire family having to bind together in order to survive the racial prejudice that existed. This is a biography of a life where life is not just happy go lucky and peaches; it shows us a more trying life. The ability that the writer has of placing you in the house and in their family is astonishing as is what the author and her family has gone through. The unique writing style is great, the book seems to flow from one event to another, like a very organized paper that has been revised again and again. Because of this flow in the story, I believe the book will actually keep readers more interested in the book and therefore make it a very 'quick read' book. The writer is also able to communicate good advice that is practical, and it is also fun to see how the girls go on to apply it in their life. The thing I would have to say I liked most about the book was the way you could learn from it, in so many ways. While reading the book you could learn about how life was for families on the brink of poverty, about how life was for blacks, and what it was like to have to pull yourself up by your own bootstraps, you could also learn many practical lessons that are able to help us to this day. For example, one of the first issues that the book deals with is the issue of inequality, even Donald (the ditchdigger) had to deal with inequality and prejudice in his own family, because he chose to marry someone that was a darker skin color than he. But every time Donald is knocked down he gets back up stronger and that is a great way, in my opinion, to deliver positive messages. Throughout the book morals like when you get knocked down, just get up stronger are preached, and that is yet another reason why we should read, and learn, from this book. If you are interested in reading a great book that can teach you about how life was for a black family, or if you just want a good book to read, I would recommend this book.

    2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted August 24, 2009

    What it feels like, a father's love so fiercely stalwart and overall father / mother team focusing on well rounded children touches a longing soul.

    I woke up at 3am just to watch this movie twice. I live my life daily wishing I had a father that loved me. The father I seen on television was the father I carried in my dreams, heart, mind and soul. At forty-three, the day I watched the "Ditchdigger's Daughters" was the first time I saw my imaginary "Daddy" on August 23, 2009. The story touched me so that I could not hold back the tears. From Yvonne's perspective, Donald Thornton was a father, head of his household, strength and determination not to have his daughters dependent on nothing but the family's values for achievement.
    All six girls were given a sense of direction that was planted at an early age and the seed continued to grow and produce fruition. The reality of the story is that society only will read or see the history of the Thornton Sisters. Only they know it wasn't all peaches n cream but Sisters just know that their are some girls, women, boys and men that wish they could have had at least half the father Mr. Donald Thornton was because I am one of them.

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted February 29, 2000

    OUTSTANDING BOOK

    I read this book for the first time about 2yrs ago when the movie was on television. It was so good!!!! More young parents should read this book,to understand how to really raise children..

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted March 9, 2012

    Very educational

    Man teaching his children to be someone in this wicked world. He was very very hard on them but it paid off. The movie comes on from time to time but it cant be purchased. I love the story

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  • Anonymous

    Posted January 11, 2012

    The Ditchdiggers Daughters

    Ive read the book twice. What an eye opener to some of the prejudices that truly existed in an area where I grew up. What a good example of a family who worked together to make a better life for themselves, what an example for parents and families. Would highly reccomend this one.

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  • Posted August 15, 2009

    No headline

    A wonderful, true inspiring story of love, loyalty & perseverence.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted July 3, 2009

    The ditchdiggers daughters

    I saw the movie but never read the book but I was just wondering if the movie going to be on sale

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  • Anonymous

    Posted March 8, 2009

    my opinion

    i really enjoy the movie. i watch everytime it comes on tv. the story in itself is how i would like my children to be raised with a strong understanding of education and how the world is gonna treat you if you don't have that.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted June 23, 2008

    A Blessing for struggling families

    I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and shared it with some of my female family and friends. I can relate to this family, we had five girls, and three boys, but college was not an option for us. So to see almost the impossible happen to them was so encouraging. I have shared it with many of the doctors, as I attended their offices and was asked 'What are you reading?'

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  • Anonymous

    Posted June 25, 2008

    Absolutely fantastic book

    I could not put this book down once I started it. Even though Mr. Thornton did not have a formal education, he understood people very well and was able to pass this wisdom along to his daughters. I can even apply a lot of this wisdom to my own life. So glad Dr. Thornton wrote the book.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted April 22, 2008

    great book

    I enjoyed this book so much when it was first given to me I have been trying to find it ever since for my two girls to read. Makes you realize that no matter what dreams do come through.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted September 15, 2000

    A Must Read for Young Women

    This book is a great story, inspiring to anyone who reads it. Her struggle is the story of some many young women who strive to succeed today. Hats off to Dr. Yvonne Thornton and her family.

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