This is the story of a slave family, a Creek family and a white family. The narrative goes back and forth from 1734 to 2007, describing their problems, their cruelties and their intermarriages. Although there are many diverse characters in The Love Songs of W.E.B. DuBois, the main character is Ailey Pearl Garfield. She is the youngest of three daughters, and her parents are African American and accomplished. Ailey experiments with life until she discovers who she is and what she is meant to achieve.

Honoree Fanonne Jeffers calls her debut novel a Black feminist novel, but it is so much more. The Love Songs of W.E.B. Dubois is a family saga, a work of historical fiction, a coming of age novel and a terrific read.